Anaesthetic, cardiovascular and respiratory effects of a new steroidal agent CT 1341: a comparison with other intravenous anaesthetic drugs in the unrestrained cat.

1. The anaesthetic, cardiovascular, respiratory and adverse effects produced by the intravenous injection of CT 1341, thiopentone, methohexitone, pentobarbitone, propanidid and ketamine have been compared in unrestrained cats prepared with chronically implanted venous and arterial cannulae. Aortic blood pressure and heart rates were monitored before, during and after loss of consciousness.2. CT 1341 produced rapid induction of anaesthesia followed by moderately rapid recovery, was active over a wide range of doses and caused minimal respiratory depression and few adverse effects. It caused an initial short-lasting tachycardia and fall in aortic blood pressure succeeded by a secondary depressor response.3. The safety margin was narrower with the barbiturate drugs than with CT 1341, and large doses induced apnoea and respiratory depression. Small doses of methohexitone elicited excitatory effects and large doses caused severe respiratory and circulatory depression, and recovery from anaesthesia was protracted.4. Propanidid induced short-lasting light anaesthesia. The safety margin was narrowest with this drug and induction was associated with adverse circulatory, respiratory and other effects.5. Ketamine was active over a wide range of doses but exhibited qualitatively different properties from the other anaesthetics. Induction was slower after small doses and these produced circulatory stimulation, catatonia and bizarre behavioural effects. Large doses caused respiratory and circulatory depression and recovery was protracted.6. It is concluded that CT 1341 has a wider therapeutic latitude, produces less respiratory depression and has other advantages over the currently used intravenous anaesthetics.

The broad-spectrum anti-emetic activity of the novel non-peptide tachykinin NK1 receptor antagonist GR203040.

1. Following our earlier observations that the tachykinin NK1 receptor antagonist CP-99,994 is an effective anti-emetic in ferrets, we have examined the anti-emetic effects of a more potent and novel NK1 receptor antagonist, GR203040, against various emetic stimuli in the ferret, dog and house musk shrew (Suncus murinus). 2. In ferrets, GR203040 (0.1 mg kg-1 s.c. or i.v.) is effective against emesis induced by radiation, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, copper sulphate, ipecacuanha or morphine. 3. In animals in which emesis had been established with cisplatin, GR203040 (1 mg kg-1 s.c.) was fully effective as an interventional treatment. No further emesis was seen in animals treated with GR203040 whilst saline-treated animals continued to vomit. 4. GR203040 (0.1 mg kg-1 s.c.) retains anti-emetic efficacy in the ferret, even when given as a 6 h pretreatment, indicating that this compound has a long duration of action. The compound is also effective orally at the same dose, when given as a 90 min pretreatment. 5. GR203040 (0.1 mg kg-1 i.v.) is fully effective against ipecacuanha-induced emesis in the dog. 6. GR203040 is effective against motion- and cisplatin-induced emesis in Suncus murinus. These effects were seen at doses an order of magnitude greater than those shown to be effective against cisplatin in the ferret. 7. In conclusion, GR203040 is a novel anti-emetic agent, and the broad spectrum of anti-emetic activity, together with activity observed in three species, suggests that this compound is worthy of clinical investigation.

Cardiovascular effects of GR117289, a novel angiotensin AT1 receptor antagonist.

1. The effect of GR117289, an angiotensin AT1 receptor antagonist, on diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was determined in angiotensin-dependent and angiotensin-independent models of hypertension in rats. In addition, the antagonist profile of GR117289 at angiotensin AT1 receptors was determined in conscious renal hypertensive rats and conscious normotensive rats, dogs and marmosets. 2. Intra-arterial and oral administration of GR117289 (0.3-3 mg kg-1, i.a.; 1-10 mg kg-1, p.o.) to 6-day left renal artery ligated hypertensive (RALH) rats (DBP > 140 mmHg) produced significant, dose-related reductions in DBP with little apparent effect on heart rate (< 15%). The antihypertensive effect of GR117289 developed progressively over several hours and with some doses persisted for 24-48 h after administration. 3. Administration of GR117289 (1 mg kg-1, i.a.) on 5 consecutive days to RALH rats reduced DBP on each day. The antihypertensive effect of GR117289 was not cumulative as DBP had almost returned to base-line values, 24 h after administration of each dose. 4. A dose of GR117289 (3 mg kg-1, i.a.), which produced a substantial reduction in DBP (about 70 mmHg) in RALH rats, was administered to rats in which blood pressure was elevated either by unilateral renal artery clipping, sustained infusion of angiotensin II (AII), DOCA-salt administration or genetic inbreeding. GR117289 reduced DBP in rats in which the renin-angiotensin system was activated by renal artery clipping or AII infusion but had little effect in normotensive rats, DOCA-salt rats and SHR. 5. Systemic administration of All to RALH rats and to normotensive rats, dogs and marmosets elicited reproducible pressor responses in all species. Systemic or oral administration of GR1 17289 (3 mg kg-1)inhibited the pressor responses produced by All, resulting in parallel, rightward displacements of All dose-response curves.6. Maximal displacements of All dose-response curves occurred 1 h and 1-7 h after systemic and oral administration, respectively. GR1 17289 produced a 32-246 fold displacement after systemic administration and a 4-12 fold displacement after oral administration. The effect in dogs was short lasting after systemic administration but the effect of GRI17289 lasted for up to 24 h in rats and marmosets and for up to 24 h after oral administration in all species. The antagonist activity appeared specific for angiotensin receptors as GRi17289 did not inhibit pressor responses to phenylephrine or vasopressin.7. These experiments demonstrate that GRI 17289 reduces blood pressure in conscious hypertensive rats after both systemic and oral administration, and is an effective antagonist at angiotensin AT1 receptors in conscious rats, dogs and marmosets.

GR205171: a novel antagonist with high affinity for the tachykinin NK1 receptor, and potent broad-spectrum anti-emetic activity.

It has been demonstrated recently that antagonists of the tachykinin NK1 receptor, specifically CP-99,994 and GR203040, possess anti-emetic activity in a range of species. To optimise this activity, a series of analogues based around the structure of GR203040 have been synthesised and their affinity at the human tachykinin NK1 receptor determined. In addition, the potency of these analogues to inhibit emesis induced in the ferret by whole-body X-irradiation has been examined. A range of substitution at the C-1 position of the tetrazole moiety in GR203040 were explored in vitro and in vivo. The trifluoromethyl compound, GR205171, was the most potent antagonist with regard to the ability to inhibit emesis induced by X-irradiation. This compound was demonstrated to have a broad spectrum of anti-emetic activity, inhibiting emesis in the ferret induced by cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, morphine, ipecacuanha and copper sulphate. Furthermore, emesis was also inhibited in the house-musk shrew, Suncus murinus, when induced by either motion or cisplatin, and in the dog when induced by ipecacuanha. GR205171 has the most potent anti-emetic activity of any tachykinin NK1 receptor antagonist described to date. The compound is orally active in the ferret and dog, long-lasting, and warrants further investigation as a potential broad-spectrum anti-emetic agent.

The effects of GR79236 on plasma fatty acid concentrations, heart rate and blood pressure in the conscious rat.

GR79236 (N-[(1S,trans)-2-hydroxycyclopentyl]adenosine) is an orally active adenosine A1 receptor agonist, which decreases plasma non-esterified fatty acid levels in fasted rats. This study has quantified the effects of GR79236 on plasma non-esterified fatty acid levels, blood pressure and heart rate in conscious rats. Blood pressure and heart rate were continuously recorded in rats for 30 min before and 1 h after oral dosing with GR79236 (0.03-3 mg/kg) or vehicle. Plasma non-esterified fatty acid concentrations were determined in blood sampled before and 1 h after dosing. GR79236 produced dose-related reductions in plasma non-esterified fatty acid concentrations, with an almost maximal effect (63.2%) occurring after 1 mg/kg. This dose induced a small but significant decrease in heart rate (12.0%), and a non-significant decrease in mean blood pressure (6.3%). Thus, in the conscious rat, GR79236 can exert profound antilipolytic effects with minimal effects on blood pressure and heart rate.

Acute and chronic effects of renin inhibitor GR70982 in the conscious marmoset.

The effects on plasma renin activity (PRA), mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) and heart rate (HR) of GR70982, a low molecular weight inhibitor of human renin, were studied in conscious marmosets. In vitro, GR70982 is a potent and selective inhibitor of human plasma renin (concentration producing 50% inhibition (IC50): human renin = 6.9 x 10(-9) M; porcine pepsin and bovine cathepin D = greater than 10(-3) M). In normotensive marmosets, i.v. GR70982 (0.001-0.1 mg kg-1) produced a dose-related inhibition of PRA. Larger oral doses (0.2, 1 and 5 mg kg-1) were required to achieve similar effects. In renin-dependent hypertensive marmosets, i.v. GR70982 (0.01 and 0.5 mg kg-1) produced dose-related decreases in MABP (-12 and -18 mm Hg) and PRA (-93 and -100%), with only minimal effects on HR. A 7-day continuous i.v. infusion of GR70982 (0.36 mg kg-1 day-1) in sodium-deplete marmosets produced a gradual decrease in MABP (-17 mm Hg at day 7, cf. control), accompanied by an inhibition of PRA (approximately 75%) and minimal HR effects.

Towards understanding the aetiology and pathophysiology of the emetic reflex: novel approaches to antiemetic drugs.

The introduction of 5-HT3 antagonists, such as ondansetron, as antiemetic agents has transformed the management of patients receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Studies in animal models with NK1 antagonists suggest that these represent a new class of antiemetic agents having a broader spectrum of activity than 5-HT3 antagonists. Compounds of this class may prove to be more effective in man against delayed emesis induced by cisplatin, post-operative nausea and vomiting and motion sickness. Thus, they have the potential to complement 5-HT3 antagonists and so provide a further advance in the management of nausea and vomiting.