Why the study?
Does inhalation of 50% nitrous oxide increase plasma concentrations of cyclic nucleotides and vasodilator peptides in healthy volunteers?
Does inhalation of 50% nitrous oxide increase plasma concentrations of cyclic nucleotides and vasodilator peptides in healthy volunteers?
Nitrous oxide may mediate its cerebral vasodilating effects at least partly through an increase in cGMP.
Background: Nitrous oxide (N2O) increases CBF in humans but does not influence the tone in isolated human cerebral arteries. It has a relatively small effect on human global cerebral metabolism. Hence, the effect of N2O is not secondary to an increase in cerebral metabolism. Methods: In the present study we measured the plasma concentrations of the cyclic nucleotides cAMP and cGMP as well as two vasodilator peptides (VIP and CGRP) in healthy volunteers before and during inhalation of 50% N2O. Results and conclusion: N2O inhalation elevated the plasma concentration of cGMP from 7.06± 0.81 to 8.03± 1.01 pmol/l (p= 0.013) but failed to influence the plasma levels of cAMP, VIP and CGRP. This suggests that N2O mediates at least part of its vasodilating effect through an increase in cGMP. Supported by grants from Tore Nilssons foundation for medical research, the AGA AB Medical Scientific Foundation, Stockholm, Sweden. and Research founds of the University of Lund.
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