The 2-nitrate-1,3-dibuthoxypropan, a new nitric oxide donor, induces vasorelaxation in mesenteric arteries of the rat

The reduced availability of nitric oxide (NO) is associated with cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, NO donors such as organic nitrates are useful for the treatment of these disorders. The 2-nitrate-1,3-dibuthoxypropan (NDBP) is an organic nitrate synthesized from glycerin, which the pharmacological effects have not been investigated. In this study we evaluated the vasorelaxant effect induced by NDBP in superior mesenteric artery from rats. In phenylephrine pre-contracted artery rings, NDBP (10−8-10−4 M) elicited concentration-dependent and endothelium-independent relaxation, which were attenuated by hydroxocobalamin-HDX (30 μM), a NO extracellular scavenger, and 1-H-[1,2,4] oxadiazolo [4,3-a] quinoxalin-1-one-ODQ (10 μM), an inhibitor of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC). In addition, the NDBP-induced relaxation was reduced by non-selective K+ channels blocker KCl (20 mM) or selective K+ channels blockers such as tetraethylammonium-TEA (BKCa, 1 mM), charybdotoxin-ChTX (BKCa, 100 nM), glibenclamide (KATP, 1 μM) and 4-aminopyridine-4-AP (KV, 1 mM). In preparations with ODQ (10 μM) plus TEA (1 mM), the response was virtually abolished. In rat smooth muscle cells culture, NDBP (10−6-10−4 M) caused concentration-dependent increases in NO levels. These findings suggest that NDBP causes vasorelaxation through NO generation and activation of the sCG/cGMP/PKG pathway.