L-arginine Partially Reverses Established Adrenocorticotrophin-induced Hypertension and Nitric Oxide Deficiency in the Rat

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Abstract
Background: L-arginine treatment prevents adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) induced hypertension in the rat. This study examined whether L-arginine treatment could reverse established ACTH hypertension and its effects on markers of decreased NO activity. Methods: Sixty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 6 groups given 12 days of treatment: (1) sham (0.9% NaCl, 0.5 ml/kg, subcutaneously, sc, n = 16); (2) ACTH (0.5 mg/kg/day, sc, n = 16); (3) sham + L-arginine (0.6% in food, from treatment day 8 onwards, n = 10); (4) ACTH + L-arginine (n = 10); (5) sham + D-arginine (0.6% in food, from T 8 onwards) (n = 6); and (6) ACTH + D-arginine (n = 6). Systolic blood pressure, water intake, urine volume, and body weight were measured every second day. At the end of the experiments, plasma and urinary nitrate/nitrite (NOx), plasma amino acid concentrations (in groups 1-4), and urinary cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) concentrations were measured. Results