Trans-3-phenyl-2-propenoic acid (cinnamic acid) derivatives: structure-activity relationship as hepatoprotective agents.

Among various phenolic compounds, caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid) exhibited pharmacological antioxidant, anticancer and antimutagenic activities. The antioxidant properties of phenolic compounds depend on their chemical structure, however, the role of the ethylenic side chain in the radical scavenging activity remains controversial. Thus, the aim of this study consisted to test cinnamic acid and 15 cinnamic acid derivatives in the well known CCl(4)-induced acute liver damage model, which is dependent on oxidative stress mechanisms. Cinnamic acid and 15 cinnamic acid derivatives (50 mg/kg, p.o.) were administered to male Wistar rats intoxicated with CCl(4) (4 g/kg, p.o.). The activities of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase were measured in serum. The lipid peroxidation products were determined in liver. Compounds with a methoxy group at position 3 or 4, or a 3,4-methylenedioxy moiety were the most active ones. Also, we observed that the monosubstituted 3 or 4 hydroxy, or the bulky 3,4 dibenzyloxy substituted compounds showed lower activity. The poorest activity was displayed by disubstituted 3,4-dihydroxy, dimethoxy or diacetyl cinnamic acid derivatives, the ester derived from cinnamic acid with an 8 carbon chain and N-dimethyl substituted compound. Thus, the methoxy substituted group at positions 3 or 4 or the 3,4-methylenedioxy moiety in the caffeic acid derivatives; seem to be the main features required for the hepatoprotection in this model.

Pregnancy induced changes in Cox-1, Cox-2 and NOSIII vascular and renal expression.

In order to establish if there is a mutual regulation between COX and NOS in vascular and renal tissue during pregnancy, we measured the protein expression of COX-1, COX-2 and NOSIII by Western blot comparing the thoracic and abdominal aorta and the renal cortex and medulla of non pregnant and pregnant (21st day) Wistar rats. We found there was no difference in the quantity of protein of any of the two isoforms of COX between the two segments of the aorta of non pregnant animals while an increased expression of both COX-1 And COX-2 was found in the abdominal compared to the thoracic segment of the pregnant rats. An increased expression of NOS III was found in the abdominal segment of the aorta form pregnant rats. No changes were found between pregnant and no pregnant animals in the expression of COX-1 and COX-2 in the renal cortex or medulla while an increased expression of NOS III was found in the cortex from pregnant compared to non pregnant animals. These results suggest the influence of pregnancy is not homogeneous along the aorta and also that a balance between prostaglandins and nitric oxide is responsible of the blunted vascular reactivity during pregnancy in the rat.

Pregnancy influence on the vascular interactions between nitric oxide and other endothelium-derived mediators in rat kidney.

Peripheral vascular resistance and sensitivity to circulating pressor and vasoconstrictor agents are blunted during pregnancy. This has been mainly attributed to an increased production of endothelium-derived mediators. The objective of this work was to evaluate if pregnancy changes the relative participation of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandins (PG) in respect to the modulation of the increases in renal perfusion pressure induced by phenylephrine (Phe). Dose-response curves were made with gradually increasing doses of Phe using an isolated kidney preparation in the presence of a NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor (L-NAME, 1 microM), a PG-synthesis inhibitor (indomethacin, 1 microM), both, or neither. Also, renal cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2) and endothelial NOS (eNOS) expression was determined using PCR. The experiments were done in kidneys from nonpregnant and pregnant rats. Our results showed that the relative participation of renal vasoactive mediators seems to change during pregnancy. We found the presence of a COX-1-dependent vasoconstrictor in the middle of pregnancy that was not found in nonpregnant rats. Our results also suggest that there is increased participation of another renal vasodilator substance, the effect of which is observed when NO or PG synthesis is inhibited during late pregnancy. In addition, an apparent interaction between renal eNOS and COX-1 expression was observed: eNOS expression was diminished, while COX-1 was increased during the 2nd week of pregnancy. In contrast, in kidneys from the 3rd week of pregnancy, the expression of these two enzymes was similar.

El droperidol interactúa con receptores serotonérgicos y adrenoceptores Ó- cardiovasculares / Droperidol interactions with serotonergic and cardiovascular Ó adrenoceptors

En este trabajo se investigó si los receptores cardiovasculares de la serotonina (5-HT) son antagonizados por el droperidol. Los efectos de este fármaco sobre la vasopresión y el cronotropismo positivo obtenidos con la infusión intravenosa de noradrenalina (NA; 1 µg.kg-1.min-1), angiotensina II (1 µg.kg-1.min-1) y quipazina (100 µg.kg-1.min-1) se estudiaron en ratas desmeduladas. El droperidol (0.01 - 1 mg.kg-1,i.v.) revirtió los efectos presores de la NA y la quipazina en forma dependiente de la dosis. El pretratamiento con propranolol, bromefeniramina o atropina (1 mg.kg-1, i.v.; cada uno), no previno los efectos del neuroléptico. Por otra parte, el droperidol no modificó la respuesta presora de la angiotensina II, ni el cronotropismo de las drogas estudiadas. Se observó que los efectos inhibitorios del droperidol (DI50 141 µg/kg; LC 105-191) y de la ketanserina (Di50 110 µg/kg; LC 91-132) sobre la vasopresión de la quipazina, son similares; sin embargo, esta última no fue modificada por la prazosina. Estos resultados indican una interacción del droperidol con los reeptores vasculares 5-HT y confirman su capacidad para bloquear Ó-adrenoceptores