ENDOTHELIN RECEPTOR ANTAGONISTS - A BRIEF REVIEW

The endothelins are a family of potent vasoconstrictors, some of which also have vasodilatory activity. In many diseases associated with tis sue hypoxia or ischemia and in diseases in which vasoconstriction play s role, the circulating levels of endothelin are higher than in health y, control subjects. These findings stimulated research aimed at disco vering endothelin receptor antagonists. This review focuses on the bin ding potency and vascular activity of these new peptide and nonpeptide endothelin receptor antagonists.