Clinical and experimental pharmacology & physiology
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Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. · Oct 2002
Effects of indomethacin on responses of regional kidney perfusion to vasoactive agents in rabbits.
1. To determine whether differential release of products of arachidonic acid metabolism, via the cyclo-oxygenase pathway, underlies the diversity of responses of regional kidney perfusion to vasoactive agents, we tested the effects of intravenous indomethacin on responses to renal arterial bolus doses of vasoactive agents in pentobarbitone-anaesthetized rabbits. 2. Total renal blood flow (RBF) and regional kidney perfusion were determined by transit time ultrasound flowmetry and laser-Doppler flowmetry, respectively. 3. ⋯ Our results suggest that vasodilator cyclo-oxygenase products contribute to the maintenance of resting renal vascular tone, particularly in vascular elements controlling medullary perfusion. Cyclo-oxygenase products also appear to mediate endothelin-1- and angiotensin II-induced increases in medullary perfusion. However, regionally specific engagement of cyclo-oxygenase-dependent arachidonic acid metabolism does not appear to contribute to the differential effects of noradrenaline and [Phe 2,Ile 3,Orn 8]-vasopressin on cortical and medullary perfusion.