Hypercholesterolemia abrogates an increased resistance of diabetic rat hearts to ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Both, diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypercholesterolemia (HCH) are known as risk factors of ischemic heart disease, however, the effects of experimental DM, as well as of HCH alone, on ischemia/reperfusion-induced myocardial injury are not unequivocal. We have previously demonstrated an enhanced resistance to ischemia-induced arrhythmias in rat hearts in the acute phase of DM. Our objectives were thus to extend our knowledge on how DM in combination with HCH, a model that is relevant to diabetic patients with altered lipid metabolism, may affect the size of myocardial infarction and susceptibility to arrhythmias. A combination of streptozotocin (STZ; 80 mg/kg, i.p.) and the fat-cholesterol diet (1% cholesterol, 1% coconut oil; FCHD) was used as a double-disease model mimicking DM and HCH simultaneosly occurring in humans. Following 5 days after STZ injection and FCHD leading to increased blood glucose and cholesterol levels, anesthetized open-chest diabetic, diabetic-hypercholesterolemic (DM-HCH) and age-matched control rats were subjected to 6-min ischemia (occlusion of LAD coronary artery) followed by 10 reperfusion to test susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias in the in vivo experiments and to 30-min ischemia and subsequent 2-h reperfusion for the evaluation of the infarct size (IS) in the Langendorff-perfused hearts. The incidence of the most life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia, ventricular fibrillation, was significantly increased in the DM-HCH rats as compared with non-diabetic control animals (100% vs. 50%; p<0.05). Likewise, arrhythmia severity score (AS) was significantly higher in the DM-HCH rats than in the controls (4.9+/-0.2 vs. 3.5+/-0.5; p<0.05), but was not increased in the diabetic animals (AS 3.7+/-0.9; p>0.05 vs. controls). Diabetic hearts exhibited a reduced IS (15.1+/-3.0% of the area at risk vs. 37.6+/-2.8% in the control hearts; p<0.05), however, a combination of DM and HCH increased the size of myocardial infarction to that observed in the controls. In conclusion, HCH abrogates enhanced resistance to ischemia-reperfusion injury in the diabetic rat heart.

Protective effect of simvastatin and VULM 1457 in ischaemic-reperfused myocardium of the diabetic-hypercholesterolemic rats.

This study examined the effects of simvastatin (10 mg/ kg) and VULM 1457 (50 mg/kg), an ACAT inhibitor, in the heart model of 6 min ischemia followed by 10 min reperfusion injury in the diabetic-hypercholesterolaemic (DM-HCH) rats. In the DM-HCH rats, the incidence of ventricular tachycardia (VT) had a tendency to be increased, while ventricular fibrillation (VF) occurred in all diseased rats (p < 0.01). Simvastatin and VULM 1457 with the shown hypolipidemic effect, significantly (p < 0.01) suppressed a formation of VF (38% and 29%; respectively).

The hypolipidemic effect of a new ACAT inhibitor, VULM 1457, in diabetic-hypercholesterolaemic rats.

The use of inhibitors of enzyme acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) seems to be a novel potential approach for a therapeutic treatment of dyslipidaemias and atherosclerosis. VULM 1457 is an ACAT inhibitor, which has expressed potent hypolipidemic and antiatherosclerotic effects in previous studies. In this study, we used streptozocin-induced diabetic rats, which were fed a fat-cholesterol diet to evaluate the affect of VULM 1457 on the atherogenic lipids levels in both plasma and liver. VULM 1457, with a slight influence on triglyceride levels, significantly reduced plasma and hepatic cholesterol concentrations (p < 0.05, p < 0.001; respectively) in the diabetic-hypercholesterolaemic rats.

The ACAT inhibitor VULM1457 significantly reduced production and secretion of adrenomedullin (AM) and down-regulated AM receptors on human hepatoblastic cells.

Acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) is an important enzyme in the pathways of cholesterol esterification. It has been shown that new ACAT inhibitor 1-(2,6-diisopropyl-phenyl)-3-[4-(4'-nitrophenylthio)phenyl] urea (VULM1457) significantly reduced atherogenic activity in animal experimental atherosclerosis. Proliferative hormone adrenomedullin (AM) has been shown to be released in response to hypoxia, however, its role in cellular protection has remained elusive. The effect of increased local production of AM in cells and resultant down-regulation of AM receptors has not been investigated yet. We hypothesized that increased expression of AM in hypoxic cells was the result of excessive AM production with resultant AM receptor down-regulation, surface-membrane protein degradation and that the new specific ACAT inhibitor would reduce AM induction in hypoxia and thus proliferation of cells. In order to investigate specific cellular AM signaling and protection induced by VULM1457, we characterized specific surface-membrane [125I]AM receptors expressed on cells, evaluated AM secretion (RIA assays), AM mRNA expression in cultured cells (RT-PCR analysis) and proliferation (incorporation of [3H]thymidine) in control, hypoxic and metabolically stressed human hepatoblastoma cell lines exposed to gradually increasing concentrations of VULM1457. The new ACAT inhibitor VULM1457 in concentration 0.03 and 0.1 micromol/l significantly down-regulated specific AM receptors on HepG2 cells, reduced AM secretion of HepG2 cells exposed to hypoxia. These results suggest that VULM1457, as new member of ACAT family of inhibitors could negatively regulate cell proliferation induced by AM, which may correlate with down-regulation of membrane-bound AM receptors on HepG2 cells, and moreover, with the induction and expression of AM in hypoxia.

Long-term effect of molsidomine and pentaerythrityl tetranitrate on cardiovascular system of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

We studied the effects of long-term administration of molsidomine and pentaerythrityl tetranitrate (PETN) on the cardiovascular system of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). One control and three experimental groups of 10-week-old animals were used: 1) control Wistar rats, 2) SHR, 3) SHR treated with molsidomine in tap water (100 mg/kg/day, by gavage), and 4) SHR treated with PETN in tap water (200 mg/kg/day, by gavage). After six weeks, the content of cGMP in platelets and NO synthase (NOS) activity in aortas were evaluated in the experimental groups. For morphological evaluation the rats were perfused at 120 mm Hg with a glutaraldehyde fixative and the arteries were processed for electron microscopy. Blood pressure and heart weight/body weight ratio (HW/BW) were increased in all experimental groups with respect to the controls. HW/BW was lower in the molsidomine group in comparison to both SHR and PETN-treated group. The platelet content of cGMP was increased and the activity of NOS in the aortas was decreased in the molsidomine and PETN-treated groups. Wall thickness and cross-sectional area of thoracic aorta, carotid artery and coronary artery were increased similarly in all experimental groups compared to the controls, but there were no differences among the experimental groups. We summarize that long-term administration of exogenous NO donors did not improve pathological changes of the cardiovascular system in SHR.

Urinary excretion of the 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium antagonist VULM 993 and its metabolites in the rat.

After oral dose of the 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium antagonist 14C-VULM 993 (50 mg/kg) a mean of 44.5% of the administered radioactivity was excreted via urine during the first 72 hours. Using an extractive fractionation procedure, the urinary metabolites were classified on the basis of their polarity and acidic/basic properties. Approx. 40% of total urine metabolites were found to be polar, non-extractable compounds--mostly glucuronide/sulphate conjucates. About one half of all urine metabolites were shown to possess overall acidic nature. G.l.c.-m.s. and t.l.c.-m.s. analyses of urine extracts revealed the presence of only minor amounts of the parent drug toghether with six metabolites identified as products of 1,4-dioxaspiro[4,4]nonane moiety cleavage, hydrolysis of one or both ester side functions also combined with 1,4-dihydropiridine nucleus dehydrogenation. Technique of thin-layer radio-chromatography was used to quantify urinary excretion rates of the parent drug and the established metabolites.

Placental transfer of the antioxidant stobadine at different gestational stages in rabbits.

The distribution of [3H]-stobadine, a pyridoindole antioxidant, was investigated in New Zealand white rabbits and their fetuses on days 20 and 27 of gestation. The concentrations of [3H]-stobadine were determined in maternal and fetal organs after oral administration in a single dose of 5.0 mg/kg. The results of the study showed that during the late period of gestation the fetal organs, especially the brain and heart, were under the protective action of the antioxidant stobadine.

Pharmacokinetic study of stobadine.

The aim of this paper is to provide a brief overview of most important results of stobadine kinetic studies in rats, dogs, and human volunteers. In these studies, stobadine dihydrochloride and stobadine dipalmitate was used for intravenous and oral administration, respectively. To evaluate kinetic properties of stobadine and its metabolites, TLC, HPLC, GLC, GC-MS, radiometric, and fluorometric methods were developed and used.

Placental transfer of stobadine in rabbits.

Stobadine, a pyridoindole antioxidant, was investigated for its placental transfer and distribution in New Zealand white rabbits on the 27th day of gestation. The concentrations of stobadine were determined in maternal and foetal organs (plasma, brain, heart) at 30, 60, 120, and 360 minutes after oral administration of the drug in a dose of 5 mg/kg. The results obtained proved that after oral stobadine intake by rabbits at the stage of advanced pregnancy both maternal and foetal organs were under a certain drug level which could act protectively against oxidative stress--frequently occurring during late organogenesis, foetal stages and delivery, as well as during early postnatal development.

Toxicological evaluation of the new calcium antagonist VULM 993.

The tolerance of the new calcium antagonist VULM 993 was investigated in a series of toxicological studies. The following results were obtained: the maximum tolerated oral dose in acute toxicity was 10,000 mg/kg for mice and 6600 mg/kg for rats, for venous administration it was 26.1 mg/kg in mice and 32.2 mg/kg in rats. In subacute oral toxicity test in rats, VULM 993 showed no toxic effect up to 300 mg/kg/d. The drug was not teratogenic in rats (5, 50 or 250 mg/kg/d, p.o.). VULM 993 did not show any positive response in tests for genotoxicity in vitro. Transplacental study of VULM 993 in rabbits indicated active placental barrier function in the late stage of pregnancy. The toxicological profile of VULM 993 is characterised by a high tolerance in all relevant species of experimental animals, and no biologically significant mutagenic potential was recorded.

Effect of propentofylline on [3H]-leucine incorporation into protein of postischemic rat brain.

The effect of propentofylline on regional [3H]-leucine incorporation into brain proteins was investigated during early reperfusion following permanent occlusion of vertebral arteries and reversible occlusion of the common carotid arteries of awake rats. In rats subjected to 5 min ischemia/50 min reperfusion the total brain radioactivity and TCA-precipitable radioactivity were reduced in the cerebellum, medulla oblongata, hypothalamus, cortex, striatum and hippocampus and the fractional protein radioactivity was decreased in the cortex, striatum and hippocampus. Propentofylline pretreatment at a dose of 25 mg/kg p.o. daily for 14 days completely reversed the reduction in total radioactivity and partially reversed the reduction in TCA-precipitable radioactivity in all brain regions studied and decreased the reduction in fractional protein radioactivity in the hippocampus. The results suggest that the protective effect of propentofylline on transient ischemia-induced brain damage may be related to improvement of [3H]-leucine incorporation into brain proteins.

Effect of a combination of pentoxifylline and nimodipine on lipid peroxidation in postischemic rat brain.

The authors studied the effects of a combination of pentoxifylline and nimodipine on cerebral lipid peroxidation in postischemic rat brain. Pentoxifylline (40 mg/kg) and nimodipine (3 mg/kg) were administered per os 30 min before 5 min of ischemia (four-vessel occlusion model of transient ischemia). The extent of peroxidation in brain tissue (cerebral cortex, hippocampus, striatum) was then estimated by assay of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). The concentration of TBARS was significantly lower in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the group treated with the combination of drugs than in untreated ischemic rats. However, this concentration was not significantly different from that found in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus of other groups premedicated with nimodipine or pentoxifylline alone. The tested drugs had no effect on TBARS in the striatum. The hypothesis that the combination of drugs would have a synergistic effect on postischemic lipid peroxidation was therefore not confirmed.

[Transplacental transfer of stobadine in rabbits in various stages of pregnancy--an approximation using a pharmacokinetic model]. / Transplacentárny prechod stobadínu u králikov v rôznych stádiach gravidity--aproximácia farmakokinetickým modelom.

Stobadine (STB), a cardioprotective drug, was investigated for its placental transfer in rabbits on the 20th and 27th day of gestation. The concentration of 3H-STB and its metabolites was determined in maternal and foetal plasma and organs at 0.5; 1; 2; and 6 h after the oral administration of 5 mg/kg STB. The third and fifth order linear models were selected as the optimal models of the fate of STB in the maternal plasma at the 20th and 27th day of gestation, respectively. The high order of the latter model indicated recirculation of STB in the maternal body at the last stage of gestation. The concentrations of STB and its metabolites in the uterus were found to be higher at mid- than late-pregnancy. At the 27th day of pregnancy the concentration of STB and its metabolites were higher in all foetal organs than on the concentrations at the 20th day of pregnancy, indicating active placental barrier function in mid-pregnancy.

Pharmacokinetics of heptacaine, a novel potent local anaesthetic agent, after rectal administration to rats.

The pharmacokinetics of heptacaine, N-(2-(2-heptyloxyphenylcarbamoyloxy)ethyl)-piperidinium chloride, a new long-acting potent carbanilate type local anaesthetic, proposed for local anaesthesia in complex treatment of hemorrhoids, was studied following its rectal administration to rats in the form of cocoa butter suppositories. The heptacaine plasma concentration, 0.0083% of dose/ml, peaked at 90 min post administration and the maximum rate of its bioavailability, 0.19% of dose/min, assessed by deconvolution, occurred 38 min post administration. The plasma elimination half-life of heptacaine was 133 min and its biological availability of 52% was comparable to other agents of the class.

Plasma concentration, tissue distribution and excretion of the prospective cardioprotective agent cis-(-)-2,3,4,4a,5,9b-hexahydro-2,8-dimethyl-1H-pyrido-[4,3-b]indole dihydrochloride in rats.

Pharmacokinetics of cis-(-)-2,3,4,4a,5,9b-hexahydro-2,8-dimethyl- 1H-pyrido-[4,3-b]indole dihydrochloride (Stobadin; in the following briefly called STB), a pharmacologically active stereoisomer of the gamma-carboline carbidine, was studied using a 3H-labelled product. Determination of STB in biological material was based on liquid-liquid extraction from alkaline media into n-heptane. The plasma concentration of STB following i.v. administration to rats was approximated by a biexponential function. An open two-compartment pharmacokinetic model was conferred to the data with the following parameter estimates: terminal elimination half-life 85.6 min, distribution volume at steady state 4.78 l/kg, total body clearance 105.3 ml/min/kg. The systemic availability of orally given STB dihydrochloride in solution was 19.7%. The brain uptake index of STB was 78.2%. Autoradiography in rats injected i.v. showed a heterogenous distribution of the label in the tissues. STB showed strong affinity to the lung tissue and kidneys and was evenly distributed in the cortex and medulla of the latter organ. During 72 h after i.v. administration, 64.6% and 11.0% of the 3H dose was excreted into urine and faeces, respectively, and after oral administration, the excretion was 62.0% and 21.9%, respectively.

Pharmacokinetics of carbisocaine in rats and mice.

[14C]carbisocaine, N-(2-(2-[1-14C]-heptyloxyphenylcarbamoyloxy)-propyl)-diethylammoni um chloride was administered to male Wistar rats, weighing 180-210 g IV in doses of 0.425, 1.425, 2.425 or 4.425 mg/kg or orally in a dose of 2.425 mg/kg. Extraction of carbisocaine from alkaline media into n-heptane was used for assessment of the unchanged drug in plasma, organs and excreta in predetermined time intervals. The two-way analysis of variance confirmed the insignificant effect of subject variability of experimental animals (p greater than 0.05) on plasma data after IV administration. Plasma data following the IV administration were approximated by a linear open two-compartment model with elimination from the central compartment. Regression analysis indicated linearity between carbisocaine plasma AUC and the IV administered dose within the range tested. The following model parameters were obtained: elimination half-life 161.2 +/- 37.5 min, total body clearance 59.5 ml/min/kg, distribution volume in steady state 5616.2 ml/kg and mean residence time 96.7 min. The systemic availability of the orally given carbisocaine was 45.2%, assessed by AUCpo/AUCiv (0-360 min). The brain uptake index of carbisocaine in relation to 3H2O was 57.7 +/- 3.9%. Whole body autoradiographs of mice injected with [14C]carbisocaine documented accumulation of 14C in gall and urinary bladder and in the gut contents and the effective placental barrier against carbisocaine and its metabolites.

[Etimizol absorption from the small intestine in dogs: the dependence on dosage]. / Absorbtsiia étimizola iz tonkoi kishki sobak: zavisimost' ot dozy.

As etimizol has been previously reported to be of low bioavailability, the kinetics of its absorption from the dog intestinal loop was investigated in chronic experiments. After administration of etimizol at doses of 10 or 1 mg/loop mean residence time of etimizol in the loop was 20.1 and 7.6 min, respectively, with mean standard deviation being 3.1 and 0.8, respectively. It was concluded that overall etimizol absorption from small intestine was high and its low bioavailability resulted from presystemic drug metabolism, as well as that the absorption kinetics was dose-dependent, with saturation reached at higher drug doses.

Disposition of ethimizol, a nootropic drug, in rats and mice.

The pharmacokinetics of ethimizol, a nootropic drug, were studied in rats and mice using [2-14C]-4,5-di(methylcarbamoyl)-1-ethyl-imidazole. Autoradiography in mice injected iv showed a rapid and homogeneous distribution of the label into the tissues, brain included, and its excretion by the urinary pathway. The determination of ethimizol in plasma, organs, and excreta was based on combined extraction and the TLC procedure. In rats, the elimination half-life of ethimizol after iv administration of 10 mg/kg was 25 min, and its distribution volume was 1.4 liters/kg. The tissue/plasma concentration ratio for organs investigated was 1 immediately after iv administration, with a subsequent gradual increase. Based on this, saturable tissue binding of ethimizol in the liver, kidney, and brain was suggested. The drug was almost completely absorbed after administration, yet its systemic availability was only 32%. The brain uptake index of ethimizol was 101% as compared to 3H2O. Ethimizol was eliminated by metabolism. The labeled metabolites were predominantly excreted in the urine.

The pharmacokinetics of exaprolol and propranolol in rats with interrupted enterohepatic circulation.

The pharmacokinetics of two beta adrenoceptor blocking drugs, exaprolol and propranolol, in rats with interrupted enterohepatic circulation was studied. The tritium-labelled drugs were given intravenously to four groups of rats: control, bile-duct cannulated, bile-duct ligated, and pretreated with neomycin. Plasma levels and excretion were observed up to 96 h after administration. The pharmacokinetic parameters show an enhanced plasma elimination of both drugs at interrupted enterohepatic circulation compared to the control group. Significant changes were observed in the excretion pattern with bile-duct cannulated and bile-duct ligated rats, while the total radioactivity excreted in urine and faeces does not differ between control and neomycin pretreated rats.

The disposition of the local anaesthetic, pentacaine, in rats and mice.

The pharmacokinetics of pentacaine, a new local anaesthetic agent from the group of carbanilates, was investigated in the rat at a dose of 2 mg kg-1 i.v. and per os. A three-compartment open model gave the best fit to the data. The model parameters are: t1/2 99.0 +/- 14.1 min, Vss 7411.1 ml kg-1, Cl 77.9 ml min-1 kg-1; after oral administration t1/2ab 4.9 +/- 1.9 min, bioavailability 59.1 per cent, and extent of absorption 79.3 per cent. Pentacaine is eliminated almost entirely by metabolism. The metabolites are excreted equally in the urine and faeces at a relatively slow rate. The pharmacokinetics of pentacaine was linear in the dose range 0.008-4 mg kg-1. The whole-body autoradiography in mice showed rapid transfer of 3H radioactivity from the vessels to tissues and a markedly heterogeneous disposition pattern in organs.