Platelet activating factor (paf) given intravenously produces systemic hypotension in the rat. Similar effects can be induced using endotoxin or heat-aggregated IgG challenges, which are thought to involve endogenous paf release. Extending this concept, we have examined the ability of the paf antagonist SRI 63-072 to inhibit or reverse systemic hypotension induced with paf, heat-aggregated IgG or endotoxin 0111-B4 in rats. At 100 ng kg−1 paf, there occurred a 38.6 ± 5.1% decrease in carotid mean arterial pressure (MAP) followed by a 3.2 ± 0.7 min recovery period (RP) to return to normal pressure values. The ED50 of SRI 63-072 was 0.16 mg kg−1 i.v. (MAP) and 0.25 mg kg−1 (RP) when given 1–5 min before the paf challenge. Endotoxin (15 mg kg−1 i.v.) produced a hypotensive response (54 ± 8% decreased in MAP) and a corresponding 80% decrease in mesenteric artery blood flow. When given 2–8 min after endotoxin, 1.0 mg kg−1 i.v. SRI 63-072 totally restored blood pressure and artery blood flow. SRI 63-072 similarly reversed heat-aggregated IgG (10 mg kg−1) induced reduction of MAP, with an ED50 of 0.05 mg kg−1 i.v. The observations that SRI 63-072 can inhibit or reverse systemic vascular effects produced from paf and other provocators of endogenous paf release strongly implicates paf as a common final mediator of hypotension and shock. As SRI 63-072 is a competitive receptor antagonist, the hypotensive effects of these provocators appear to be mediated by vascular receptors for paf.
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