PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF THE NEW CALCIUM-ANTAGONIST, LACIDIPINE, ON ISOLATED PREPARATIONS

1. The calcium channel blocking activity of lacidipine has been studie d compared with that of nifedipine and verapamil on the isolated rabbi t heart and aorta. 2. All the compounds induced a dose dependent negat ive inotropic effect (10(-8) - 10(-5) M); although lacidipine showed l ess, but longer lasting, activity. 3. Lacidipine showed a weak negativ e chronotropic effect and nifedipine was ineffective. Only verapamil s trongly decreased the heart rate, 4. The three calcium antagonists abo lished vasopressin-induced coronary spasm and inhibited partially meto xamine-induced coronary spasm. Only lacidipine reduced basal coronary pressure. 5. In the aortic strips, all the compounds antagonized KCI i nduced contractions, and they exerted a partial effect on noradrenalin e-and angiotensin II-induced contractions. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Inc.