Effects of Some Guanidino Compounds on Human Cerebral Arteries

1999

Background and Purpose —Accumulation of endogenous guanidino-substituted analogues of l -arginine in chronic renal failure might contribute to some of the vascular and neurological disorders of this pathology. We tested the hypothesis that in human cerebral arteries, some guanidino compounds may increase vascular tone, through nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibition, and impair endothelium-dependent relaxation. Methods —Rings of human middle cerebral artery were obtained during autopsy of 26 patients who had died 3 to 12 hours before. The rings were suspended in organ baths for isometric recording of tension. We then studied the responses to N G -monomethyl- l -arginine (L-NMMA), N G , N G -…