Nicardipine (YC-93)

Dissociation of cyclic AMP and contractile responses to isoprenaline: effects of a dihydropyridine derivative, nicardipine (YC-93), on canine ventricular muscle

Nicardipine (YC-93), a 1,4-dihydropyridine derivative, inhibited the cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity of purified PDE in a cell-free preparation. Its inhibitory action on the purified PDE was about seven times that of papaverine. On the other hand, YC-93 did not affect the intracellular cyclic AMP level and the accumulation of cyclic AMP caused by isoprenaline in the isolated canine right ventricular myocardium. YC-93 caused a prominent negative inotropic action which developed gradually to reach a steady level 1 h after its administration. The potency of YC-93 to depress the force of contraction was one tenth that of D600. The dose-response curve for isoprenaline was shifted to the right and downward in the presence of YC-93 in a concentration-dependent manner, and the positive inotropic action of calcium was also inhibited markedly by YC-93. The depressant action of YC-93 on the positive inotropic actions of isoprenaline and calcium was more prominent than that of D600. Although YC-93 is a potent PDE inhibitor in the cell-free preparation, the PDE in the intact cell system may be not accessible to the drug. Thus, it is considered that YC-93 acted as a calcium antagonistic drug on the isolated canine ventricular myocardium, and thereby inhibited the positive inotropic action of isoprenaline without affecting the intracellular accumulation of cyclic AMP caused by isoprenaline.

Vasodilator and hypotensive effects of the optical isomers of nicardipine (YC-93), a new Ca2+-antagonist

Vasodilator and hypotensive effects of (+) and (-) nicardipine were investigated in anesthetized dogs. When administered intravenously, (+) nicardipine was 3 times as potent as the (-) isomer in increasing vertebral blood flow and in lowering mean blood pressure. When injected into the vertebral artery, (+) nicardipine was also 3 times as potent as the (-) isomer in increasing vertebral blood flow. Upon both routes of administration, the duration of the action after (+) nicardipine was longer than that after the (-) isomer. However, there were no differences of plasma nicardipine levels after intravenous injection of both isomers to conscious beagle dogs. The LD50 values of (+) nicardipine in mice and rats upon intravenous injection were only 1.5-2 times smaller than those of the (-) isomer. These results indicate that there exists a stereoselectivity of vasodilator and hypotensive actions among the nicardipine isomers.

Mechanisms underlying the cardiovascular action of a new dihydropyridine vasodilator YC-93

1. The mechanisms underlying the cardiovascular action of YC-93, a new dihydropyridine vasodilator with cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase inhibitory activity, was investigated by comparing its effects with those of papaverine in various isolated, blood-perfused heart preparations of the dog. 2. In all preparations YC-93 injected into the nutrient arteries produced a dose-dependent increase in blood flow, and in this respect YC-93 was about twenty times more potent than papaverine on a weight basis. 3. In sinoatrial node preparations YC-93 injected into the sinus node artery decreased sinus rate in a dose-dependent manner, and in large doses produced atrial standstill. 4. In atrioventricular (a.v.) node preparations YC-93 injected into the a.v. node artery increased a.v. conduction time in a dose-dependent manner, and in large doses produced a second or third degree block of a.v. conduction. However YC-93 injected into the anterior septal artery scarcely affected a.v. conduction. 5. In spontaneously contracting papillary muscle preparations YC-93 injected into the anterior septal artery failed to affect ventricular automaticity in doses which markedly decreased developed tension of papillary muscles. 6. In papillary muscle preparations driven at a fixed rate YC-93 injected into the anterior septal artery produced a dose-dependent decrease in developed tension of papillary muscles. 7. Unlike YC-93, papaverine decreased a.v. conduction time in a.v. node preparations and increased developed tension of papillary muscle preparations. 8. The cardiac effects of YC-93 elucidated in the present experiments are characteristic of calcium-antagonistic vasodilators. The action of YC-93 as an inhibitor of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase does not appear to play a role in its cardiac action.

Inhibition of calcium influx in rabbit aorta by nicardipine hydrochloride (YC-93)

A possible mechanism for relaxation of rat uterine smooth muscle by nicardipine hydrochloride (YC-93), a new potent vasodilator

A new potent vasodilator, nicardipine hydrochloride inhibited oxytocin-induced contraction of rat uterus dose-dependently with an increase in the intracellular cyclic AMP level at the onset of relaxation. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP and papaverine, an inhibitor of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (PDEase), also inhibited the contraction. Nicardipine inhibited competitively PDEase in homogenates of rat uterus which exhibited apparently two Km values for cyclic AMP (3.6 micro M and 67.3 micro M) with the Ki of 5.3 micro M and 13.2 micro M, respectively, but had no effect on adenylate cyclase. Nicardipine enhanced calcium uptake by rat uterine microsomes, at concentrations which inhibited oxytocin-induced contraction in the same manner as cyclic AMP. The maximal stimulation by nicardipine of the microsomal calcium uptake was identical substantially to that by cyclic AMP, and both were not additive. Cyclic AMP was also accumulated during the uptake reaction in the presence of nicardipine. On the contrary, neither myosin ATPase nor microsomal Ca2+-dependent ATPase was inhibited directly by nicardipine. These results suggest that the inhibition of oxytocin-induced contraction of rat uterus by nicardipine may be due to an enhancement of microsomal calcium uptake, mediated by cyclic AMP accumulated through the inhibition of PDEase.