The effects of calcium channel blockers are not related to their chemical structure in the collar model of the rabbit

Yasa M., Kerry Z., REEL B., YETİK ANACAK G. Y., ERTUNA E., Ozer A.

JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL RESEARCH, vol.35, no.1, pp.59-71, 2007 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

Abstract

Placing a silicone collar around the rabbit carotid artery induces intimal thickening, an early stage in atherosclerosis and restenosis. We investigated whether treatment with oral pranidipine, a new potent, long lasting dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker (CCB), inhibited collar-induced intimal thickening in addition to the changes in vascular reactivity usually observed in this model. Pranidipine treatment did not inhibit collar-induced intimal thickening. Placing the collar around the carotid artery resulted in the characteristic changes in vascular reactivity, such as increased sensitivity to 5-hydroxytryptamine. Treatment with N-omega-nitro-L-arginine (100 mu M) and pranidipine, however, did not affect collarinduced changes in vascular reactivity. From results of this and previous studies, we conclude that pranidipine does not prevent collar-induced intimal thickening or collar-induced changes in vascular reactivity. Not all CCBs prevent collarinduced intimal thickening, suggesting that the effects of these agents are not related to their chemical structure and/or their calcium channel-blocking actions.