POTENTIATION OF ANANDAMIDE HYPOTENSION BY THE TRANSPORT INHIBITOR, AM404

The putative endogenous cannabinoid, anandamide (0.2-2 mg/kp i.v.), de creased systemic blood pressure dose-dependently in anesthesized guine a pigs. These effects were prevented by the CBI cennabinoid receptor a ntagonist SR141716A dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide . HCl] at the dose of 0.2 mg/kg i.v. The vasodepressor responses to a nandamide were significantly potentiated and prolonged by a novel inhi bitor of carrier-mediated anandamide transport, N-(4-hydroxyphenyl) ar achidonylethanolamide (AM404)(10 mg/kg, i.v.). These results suggest t hat anandamide transport participates in terminating the vascular acti ons of anandamide. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.