Effects of dipyridamole, nifedipine, verapamil, hydralazine and propranolol on the formation of prostacyclin and thromboxane in a coupled system of platelets and aorta.
The effects of some vasodilatory (dipyridamole, nifedipine, verapamil) and antihypertensive (hydralazine, propranolol) drugs on the metabolism of exogenous arachidonic acid (AA), and on the production of thromboxane from endogenous AA stores were examined. In a coupled system of platelets and rat aorta, dipyridamole (100 microM), nifedipine (300 microM) and hydralazine (250 microM) potentiated the formation of 6-keto-F1 alpha from exogenous AA. Hydralazine in this system reduced the formation of TxB2. At higher concentrations the drugs (dipyridamole 500 microM; hydralazine 1 mM, verapamil 2mM; propranolol 2mM) were effective in reducing the formation of TxB2. Moreover, the drugs at lower concentrations produced reduced amounts of TxB2 in clotting blood. A dose-dependent inhibition of platelet aggregation induced by ADP, epinephrine, collagen and arachidonate was observed with these drugs. The results demonstrate that some of the beneficial effects of the drugs in the cardiovascular system can be explained on the basis of their effects on platelet aggregation and on AA metabolism.