Inhibition by glibenclamide of the vasorelaxant action of cromakalim in the rat

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Abstract
In rat isolated thoracic aortic rings pre‐contracted with noradrenaline (10−6 m), cromakalim (3 × 10−7‐3 × 10−5 m) produced concentration‐related relaxation. This effect was progressively inhibited by increasing concentrations of the anti‐diabetic sulphonylurea drug, glibenclamide (10−6‐10−5 m). In rat isolated portal veins, cromakalim (3 × 10−8‐10−6 m) produced concentration‐related inhibition of the spontaneous contractive activity and glibenclamide (3 × 10−7‐3 × 10−6 m) prevented this inhibitory action in a concentration‐dependent manner. In both rat aortic rings and portal veins, cromakalim (10−5 m) stimulated 86Rb efflux. Prior exposure to glibenclamide (10−7‐10−6 m) produced a concentration‐related inhibition of this response. In conscious rats, cromakalim, 0.075 mg kg−1 i.v., produced a rapid and sustained fall in arterial blood pressure which was not influenced by pretreatment (2 h) with a large oral dose of glibenclamide (100 mg kg−1). In conscious rats, the hypotensive action of cromakalim, 0.075 mg kg−1 i.v., was abolished by pretreatment (30 min) with glibenclamide, 20 mg kg−1, given by the intravenous route. The results suggest that the vasorelaxant and hypotensive actions of cromakalim involve a K+ channel which can be inhibited by glibenclamide, but which may be distinct from the ATP‐sensitive K+ channel of the pancreatic β‐cell.