NOVEL CENTRAL ACTION OF DES-ASP-ANGIOTENSIN-I

Intracerebroventricularly administered des-Asp-angiotensin I, when pre vented from degradation by prior administration of captopril, attenuat ed dose-dependently the central presser actions of angiotensin II and angiotensin III in the spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar Kyo to (WKY) rats. This finding is the first demonstration of an intrinsic action of des-Asp-angiotensin I and, together with earlier finding of its increased production in the hypothalamus of the spontaneously hyp ertensive rat, may support the suggestion that the nonapeptide is a fu nctional angiotensin that regulates the presser action of angiotensin II and angiotensin III in the brain.