COX-2 inhibition does not reverse the increased sympathetic modulation in MSG obese rats

We evaluate the effects of chronic treatment with celecoxib, a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, on blood pressure (BP) and heart rate variability (HRV) in obese rats induced by neonatal monosodium glutamate (MSG). The animals were treated with celecoxib or saline for 30 days (from the 60th to the 90th day of age). On the 90th day, the MSG obesity induced an increase in the low-frequency (LF) component (CTR = 5.69 ± 18.30 ms2, MSG = 38.49 ± 6.27 ms2) and a decrease in the high-frequency (HF) component of HRV (CTR = 71.48 ± 6.22 ms2, MSG = 50.94 ± 7.03 ms2), which were unchanged by celecoxib treatment. We suggest that HRV in MSG obesity involves a greater sympathetic modulation not related with COX-2 products.