Chronic treatment with naftidrofuryl attenuates the development of vascular hypersensitivity to serotonin in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.

Three-month-old spontaneously hypertensive rats were treated for 1, 2, or 3 months with daily intraperitoneal injections of naftidrofuryl (30 mg/kg). Systolic arterial pressure was measured. Tail arteries were removed and perfused at a constant flow rate of 2 ml/min. A concentration-response curve for serotonin was prepared. A second curve was then constructed in the presence of naftidrofuryl. Chronic treatment with naftidrofuryl had no effect on blood pressure by produced a decrease in the maximal vasoconstrictor response and the sensitivity to serotonin in vitro. The in vitro sensitivity to naftidrofuryl was unchanged.