Minoxidil Sulfate Research Articles

Influence of ovarian steroids on myometrial sensitivity and tolerance to relaxin in the rat in vivo: lack of cross-tolerance between relaxin, salbutamol and cromakalim.

The influence of oestradiol benzoate and progesterone on uterine sensitivity and development of tolerance to relaxin was investigated in bilaterally ovariectomized non-pregnant rats in vivo. Bolus doses of relaxin (2-20 micrograms/kg i.v.) produced rapid and reversible inhibition of uterine contractions in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with oestradiol benzoate or oestradiol benzoate plus progesterone significantly increased uterine sensitivity to relaxin over 48 h by 2.4- to 8.5-fold. Tolerance to relaxin developed during continuous infusion of the hormone at 20 micrograms/kg per h for 40 h. A 7.8- to 17.4-fold reduction in sensitivity to relaxin was observed in relaxin-infused rats, whereas no change in sensitivity was observed in saline-infused rats. Infusion of relaxin at 50 micrograms/kg per h for 40 h produced a 131.8-fold reduction in uterine sensitivity to relaxin. The uterus remained tolerant to relaxin for up to 24 h after cessation of infusion. Treatment with oestradiol benzoate and/or progesterone did not influence the extent of tolerance development, but a more rapid recovery of uterine sensitivity to relaxin was observed in rats treated with oestradiol benzoate plus progesterone. Cross-tolerance with other uterine relaxant drugs was measured to investigate possible common mechanisms of action and sites of tolerance between relaxin and a beta-adrenoceptor agonist (salbutamol) and potassium channel openers (cromakalim and minoxidil sulphate). No cross-tolerance was observed between relaxin and salbutamol, or relaxin and cromakalim or minoxidil sulphate. Cross-tolerance between cromakalim and minoxidil sulphate was seen.

Effect of ATP-sensitive K+ channel regulators on cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator chloride currents.

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is a Cl- channel that is regulated by cAMP-dependent phosphorylation and by intracellular ATP. Intracellular ATP also regulates a class of K+ channels that have a distinct pharmacology: they are inhibited by sulfonylureas and activated by a novel class of drugs called K+ channel openers. In search of modulators of CFTR Cl- channels, we examined the effect of sulfonylureas and K+ channel openers on CFTR Cl- currents in cells expressing recombinant CFTR. The sulfonylureas, tolbutamide and glibenclamide, inhibited whole-cell CFTR Cl- currents at half-maximal concentrations of approximately 150 and 20 microM, respectively. Inhibition by both agents showed little voltage dependence and developed slowly; > 90% inhibition occurred 3 min after adding 1 mM tolbutamide or 100 microM glibenclamide. The effect of tolbutamide was reversible, while that of glibenclamide was not. In contrast to their activating effect on K+ channels, the K+ channel openers, diazoxide, BRL 38227, and minoxidil sulfate inhibited CFTR Cl- currents. Half-maximal inhibition was observed at approximately 250 microM diazoxide, 50 microM BRL 38227, and 40 microM minoxidil sulfate. The rank order of potency for inhibition of CFTR Cl- currents was: glibenclamide < BRL 38227 approximately equal to minoxidil sulfate > tolbutamide > diazoxide. Site-directed mutations of CFTR in the first membrane-spanning domain and second nucleotide-binding domain did not affect glibenclamide inhibition of CFTR Cl- currents. However, when part of the R domain was deleted, glibenclamide inhibition showed significant voltage dependence. These agents, especially glibenclamide, which was the most potent, may be of value in identifying CFTR Cl- channels. They or related analogues might also prove to be of value in treating diseases such as diarrhea, which may involve increased activity of the CFTR Cl- channel.

Potassium channel openers: pharmacological and clinical aspects.

Opening of plasmalemmal K+ channels leads to cellular hyperpolarization which, in excitable tissues possessing voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, prevents the opening of such channels and thus prevents excitation. In the last few years, an increasing number of compounds have been identified which elicit their effects by opening K+ channels, preferentially in smooth muscle, but also in other excitable tissues. These include the novel benzpyrans, cromakalim and bimakalim, the thioformamide aprikalim, and also well known antihypertensives such as minoxidil sulphate, diazoxide and pinacidil. After a short overview of the various families of K+ channel openers (KCOs), their basic pharmacological properties, including inhibition by the sulfonyl ureas (such as glibenclamide) are presented. The actual discussion concerning the type of K+ channel(s) opened by these compounds and their mechanism(s) of vasorelaxation will be reported. The therapeutic potential of these compounds in the cardiovascular field (as antihypertensives and, in particular, as anti-ischemic agents in heart and skeletal muscle), and in asthma (where they reverse established airway hyperreactivity) will also be discussed. Improved tissue selectivity may be the essential pre-requisite for true clinical success of this class of compounds.

A specific binding site for K+ channel openers in rat aorta.

The K+ channel openers, including cromakalim, pinacidil, minoxidil sulfate, diazoxide, and nicorandil, form a chemically heterogeneous group of compounds, which relax smooth muscle by opening plasmalemmal K+ channels. At present it is not known whether these drugs elicit their effects by binding to the same target, presumably the K+ channel. In order to address this question, a binding assay for K+ channel openers has been developed in vascular smooth muscle. The novel tritiated K+ channel opener, [3H]P1075, an analogue of pinacidil, binds with high affinity (KD = 6 +/- 1 nM) to endothelium-denuded rings of rat aorta. Inhibition studies indicate that the different families of K+ channel openers bind to a common target. Evidence is presented to suggest that the binding site for the sulfonylurea, glibenclamide, the major blocker of the K+ channel openers, is coupled in a negative allosteric manner to the binding site(s) for the openers. The binding assay described here may open the way to the biochemical characterization of the drug receptor for the K+ channel openers.

Effect of MgATP on pinacidil-induced displacement of glibenclamide from the sulphonylurea receptor in a pancreatic beta-cell line and rat cerebral cortex.

1. The effects of blockers and openers of K+ channels on binding of [3H]-glibenclamide to microsomes obtained from a pancreatic beta-cell line (HIT-T15) or rat cerebral cortex were examined. 2. The blockers quinine, chlorpromazine and thiopentone and the openers cromakalim [(+/- ) 6-cyano-3,4-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-trans-4-(2-oxo-1- pyrrolidyl)-2H-benzo[b]pyran-3-ol] and minoxidil sulphate did not significantly interact with the sulphonylurea receptor of HIT-cells both at phosphorylating (presence of MgATP) and dephosphorylating (absence of MgATP) conditions. 3. In the absence of MgATP, pinacidil (200-500 microM) did not significantly displace [3H]-glibenclamide binding to microsomes from HIT-cells. The displacement of [3H]-glibenclamide binding was strongly enhanced by MgATP and was due to a decrease in the number of high affinity binding sites for glibenclamide. 4. MgATP enhanced pinacidil-induced inhibition of [3H]-glibenclamide binding to microsomes from rat cerebral cortex. 5. The effect of MgATP on pinacidil-induced inhibition of [3H]-glibenclamide binding was maintained after solubilization of the membranes from HIT-cells or rat cerebral cortex. 6. It is concluded that the sulphonylurea receptor is regulated not only by sulphonylureas but also by the K+ channel openers, diazoxide and pinacidil, and by protein phosphorylation. The binding sites for sulphonylureas and these K+ channel openers are not identical, but appear to be located at a single protein or at tightly associated proteins.

Minoxidil Sulfotransferase, a Marker of Human Keratinocyte Differentiation

The sulfation of minoxidil is catalyzed by a sulfotransferase activity in a number of tissues including skin. To investigate further the nature of the minoxidil sulfotransferase activity in epithelial tissue and to compare this activity to that of cholesterol sulfotransferase, which has already been shown to be induced during the differentiation of epithelial cells, we cultured normal human epidermal keratinocytes in a keratinocyte growth medium for 4 d, after which the media were replaced with either the same growth media or media with increasing Ca++ concentrations. Cholesterol sulfotransferase, minoxidil sulfotransferase, and transglutaminase were determined during the differentiation of the cells in the three media. Time-activity curves that suggested two different sulfotransferase activities were induced during the differentiation process. U-77581, a competitive inhibitor of minoxidil sulfotransferase activity, inhibited the sulfation of minoxidil sulfotransferase activity in the keratinocyte homogenates, but it did not inhibit the sulfation of cholesterol. These data indicate that at least two sulfotransferase activities are induced during the differentiation of epithelial keratinocytes and minoxidil sulfotransferase is an early marker of that differentiation.

Potassium Channel Conductance: A Mechanism Affecting Hair Growth both In Vitro and In Vivo

The opening of intracellular potassium channels has been suggested as a mechanism regulating hair growth. Enhancing the flux of potassium ions is a mechanism shared by several structurally diverse antihypertensive agents including minoxidil sulfate (the active metabolite of minoxidil), pinacidil, P-1075 (a potent pinacidil analog), RP-49,356, diazoxide, cromakalim, and nicorandil. Of these drugs, minoxidil, pinacidil, and diazoxide have been reported to elicit hypertrichosis in humans. This potassium channel hypothesis was examined by testing these drugs for effects on hair growth both in vitro and in vivo. For the in vitro studies, mouse vibrissae follicles were cultured for 3 d with drug and the effects on hair growth were measured by metabolic labeling. All drugs, except diazoxide, enhanced cysteine incorporation into the hair shafts of the cultured vibrissae. Diazoxide was poorly soluble and thus was tested only at low doses. Minoxidil, P-1075, cromakalim, and RP-49,356 were also evaluated in vivo by measuring hair growth effects in balding stumptail macaque monkeys. The drugs were administered topically to defined sites on balding scalps once per day for 4-5 months and the amount of hair grown was determined by monthly measurements of shaved hair weight. Three of the drugs produced significant increases in hair weight whereas, the RP-49,356 had no effect. These studies provide correlative evidence that the opening of potassium channels is an important regulatory mechanism for hair growth. This provides the impetus for further studies on this potentially important mechanism affecting hair biology.

Differential inhibition by tedisamil (KC 8857) and glibenclamide of the responses to cromakalim and minoxidil sulphate in rat isolated aorta.

The effects of the K+ channel blockers tedisamil and glibenclamide on cromakalim- and minoxidil sulphate-induced 42K+ and 86Rb+ efflux and vasorelaxation in rat aorta, were investigated. In aortic strips preloaded with 42K+ or 86Rb+, cromakalim (1 mumol/l) induced increases in tracer efflux, which were concentration-dependently inhibited by tedisamil with similar potencies (pD2 approximately 7.3) but different amplitudes (maximum inhibition of 86Rb+ efflux to 0% of control, 42K+ efflux to 10 +/- 1%). The 42K+ efflux elicited by a low concentration of cromakalim (100 nmol/l) was, however, fully inhibited by tedisamil. The tracer effluxes induced by minoxidil sulphate were fully inhibited by tedisamil and glibenclamide (300 nM). Cromakalim and minoxidil sulphate, produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of noradrenaline (100 nmol/l)-induced tone, with pD2 values of approximately 7.3. Tedisamil (300 nmol/l) and glibenclamide (300 nmol/l), which inhibited cromakalim- and minoxidil sulphate-induced 42K+ and 86Rb+ efflux by greater than or equal to 80%, produced 2-fold and 40-fold shifts in the concentration-relaxation curve for cromakalim, and 3.5-fold and 2200-fold shifts in the concentration-relaxation curve for minoxidil sulphate, respectively. Similar shifts of the cromakalim concentration-relaxation curve in the presence of tedisamil and glibenclamide were also observed when the tissues were precontracted with potassium chloride (25 mmol/l). The results show that tedisamil and glibenclamide inhibit the cromakalim- and minoxidil sulphate-induced tracer effluxes with similar potencies whereas they differ greatly in their ability to inhibit the vasorelaxant effects of the two K+ channel openers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Comparison of the in vitro effects of K+ channel modulators on detrusor and portal vein strips from guinea pigs.

The effects of K+ channel openers and blockers on smooth muscles of vascular and nonvascular origin from guinea pigs have been investigated. Cromakalim, pinacidil, nicorandil and minoxidil sulfate all abolished the spontaneous myogenic activity of the guinea pig portal vein and the KCl-evoked activity of detrusor strips with the same rank order of ptoency. Whereas both apamin and charybdotoxin stimulated myogenic activity of the detrusor strips, they produced insignificant effects on spontaneously active portal vein strips and failed to antagonize the mechanoinhibitory effects of cromakalim in the two tissues. Glibenclamide, on the other hand, only stimulated the myogenic activity of portal vein strips but antagonized the mechanoinhibitory effects of cromakalim, pinacidil, nicorandil and minoxidil sulfate in both tissues. Rubidium, at millimolar concentrations, stimulated the myogenic activity, and antagonized the actions of cromakalim in both tissues. The data indicate that there are definite functional dissimilarities as exhibited by the differential response of the two tissues to K+ channel modulators. These findings may be exploited in the design of new drugs with tissue selectivity.

Minireview K + channel openers and insulin release

Recent in vivo and in vitro experiments suggested that the smooth muscle relaxation mediated by diverse pharmacologic agents resulted from K + channel opening. Pinacidil, cromakalim, nicorandil, RP 49356, minoxidil sulfate and diazoxide belong to this new group of smooth muscle relaxants : the “K + channel openers”. Because modifications in the K + permeability are known to represent a critical event in the insulin-releasing process, numerous studies have been performed in order to examine the putative effects of K + channel openers on B-cell function. The aim of the present review is to summarize these experimental data which are sometimes divergent.

Growth Effect of Minoxidil and Minoxidil Sulfate on Cultured Human Keratinocytes and Outer Root Sheath Cells

Growth Effect of Minoxidil and Minoxidil Sulfate on Cultured Human Keratinocytes and Outer Root Sheath Cells

Sulfation of Minoxidil in Keratinocytes and Hair Follicles and the Stimulatory Effect of Minoxidil on the Biosynthesis of Glycosaminoglycans

Sulfation of Minoxidil in Keratinocytes and Hair Follicles and the Stimulatory Effect of Minoxidil on the Biosynthesis of Glycosaminoglycans

Some degree of overlap exists between the K+-channels opened by cromakalim and those opened by minoxidil sulphate in rat isolated aorta

The effects of the K+ channel opening drugs minoxidil sulphate and cromakalim, on 42K+ and 86Rb+ efflux and on vasorelaxation in rat isolated aorta, were compared. In rat aortic rings precontracted with noradrenaline (100 nmol/l), minoxidil sulphate and cromakalim concentration-dependently inhibited induced tension by up to 90%, with pD2 values of 7.35 +/- 0.1 and 7.17 +/- 0.1, respectively. Glibenclamide (300 nmol/l), produced 2200- and 19-fold rightward shifts in the concentration-relaxation curves to minoxidil sulphate and cromakalim, respectively, without an effect on the maximum relaxation. Both minoxidil sulphate and cromakalim increased the efflux of 42K+ and 86Rb+ from aorta in a concentration-dependent manner, with midpoints in the mumol/l range; the maximum efflux induced by minoxidil sulphate being approximately one tenth of that induced by cromakalim. The ratio of stimulated 86Rb+/42K+ efflux increased from 0.22 to 0.48 with increasing cromakalim concentrations, but was approximately constant (approximately 0.39) when the minoxidil sulphate concentration was varied. In the presence of minoxidil sulphate, the effects of cromakalim on 42K+ and 86Rb+ efflux were inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner, by up to 60%. In the continuing presence of cromakalim (300 nmol/l), minoxidil sulphate (10 mumol/l)-induced increases in 42K+ and 86Rb+ efflux were inhibited by 45%, whereas conditioning with cromakalim (1 mumol/l) inhibited the 86Rb+ efflux stimulated by additional superfusion of cromakalim (1 mumol/l) by 85%. Glibenclamide inhibited minoxidil sulphate (10 mumol/l)- and cromakalim (1 mumol/l)-induced increases in 42K+ and 86Rb+ efflux in a concentration-dependent manner with IC50 values of approximately 80 nmol/l.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Two different types of channels are targets for potassium channel openers in Xenopus oocytes

K + channel openers elicit K + currents in follicle-enclosed Xenopus oocytes. The most potent activators are the pinacidil derivatives P1075 and P1060. The rank order of potency to activate K + currents in follicle-enclosed oocytes was: P1075 (K 0.5: 5 μM)>P1060 (K 0.5: 12 μM)> BRL38227 (lemakalim) (K 0.5:77 μM)>RP61419 (K 0.5:100 μM)>(−)pinacidil (K 0.5:300 μM). Minoxidil sulfate, nicorandil. RP49356 and diazoxide were ineffective. Activation by the K + channel openers could be abolished by the antidiabetic sulfonylurea glibenclamide. It was not affected by the blocker of the Ca 2+-activated K + channels charybdotoxin. The various K + channel openers failed to activate glibenclamide-sensitive K + channels in defolliculated oocytes, but BRL derivatives (K 0.5 for BRL38226 is 150 μM) and RP61419 inhibited a background current. The channel responsible for this background current is K + permeable but not fully selective for K +. It is resistant to glibenclamide. It is inhibited by Ba 2+, 4-aminopyridine. Co 2+,.Ni 2+ and La 3+.

Comparison of the effects of the K+‐channel openers cromakalim and minoxidil sulphate on vascular smooth muscle

1 The actions of the potassium channel openers, cromakalim and minoxidil sulphate, were compared in a range of isolated blood vessel preparations. 2 Cromakalim and minoxidil sulphate inhibited spontaneous mechanical activity of the guinea-pig portal vein and relaxed the noradrenaline precontracted rat aorta with similar potency. In contrast, minoxidil sulphate was less potent than cromakalim in inhibiting spontaneous activity in the rat portal vein and was essentially inactive in the noradrenaline precontracted rat mesenteric artery and rabbit aorta. 3 Minoxidil sulphate did not antagonize the effects of cromakalim in the rabbit aorta indicating it was not acting as a partial 'agonist'. 4 Charybdotoxin, noxiustoxin and rubidium failed to discriminate between cromakalim and minoxidil sulphate indicating that the apparently selective effects of minoxidil sulphate were not mediated by either Ca(2+)-activated potassium channels, delayed rectifiers or rubidium impermeable potassium channels. 5 Glibenclamide antagonized the effects of cromakalim in an apparently competitive manner whereas the effects of minoxidil sulphate were antagonized in a non-competitive manner. The involvement of subtypes of ATP-sensitive potassium channels is discussed.

Comparison of the effects of several potassium‐channel openers on rat bladder and rat portal vein in vitro

1. The ability of several K-channel openers to inhibit KCl-induced contractions of rat bladder detrusor and spontaneous mechanical activity in rat portal vein was examined. 2. Lemakalim, pinacidil, Ro 31-6930, RP 49356, P1060 and S 0121 dose-dependently relaxed rat detrusor, precontracted with 20 mM KCl. With the exception of pinacidil, concentrations of these agents below 30 microM did not inhibit 80 mM KCl-included contractions. Pinacidil (10 microM) produced a small, but significant (P < 0.05) relaxation of 80 mM KCl-induced mechanical activity. Minoxidil sulphate and BRL 38226 produced some relaxation of 20 mM but not 80 mM KCl-induced contractions. 3. Glibenclamide (0.3-3 microM) antagonized the relaxant effects of lemakalim, pinacidil, Ro 31-6930, RP 49356, P1060 and S 0121 in a competitive manner (pA2 values 6.3-6.6). The effects of minoxidil sulphate and BRL 38226 were fully antagonized by 3 microM glibenclamide. 4. Lemakalim, pinacidil, S 0121, BRL 38226 and minoxidil sulphate were each approximately 8 times more potent as inhibitors of the spontaneous contractions of rat portal vein than KCl-induced contractions of the rat detrusor. Minoxidil sulphate was approximately 30 times more potent in the rat portal vein than in the bladder. This may indicate that either minoxidil sulphate is acting at different recognition sites in these two tissues, or that this compound has an additional mechanism of action in the portal vein. 5. With the exception of minoxidil sulphate, all the compounds tested stimulated 86Rb efflux and 42K efflux from preloaded rat detrusor strips. The stimulated 86Rb efflux was qualitatively but not quantitatively similar to the stimulated 42K efflux. Minoxidil sulphate stimulated 42K efflux from rat portal vein but not from rat bladder. 6. It is concluded that all the compounds tested cause relaxation of rat detrusor predominantly by Kchannel opening. Selectivity for bladder rather than vascular smooth muscle was not shown by any compound.

Localization of Minoxidil Sulfotransferase in Rat Liver and the Outer Root Sheath of Anagen Pelage and Vibrissa Follicles

The precise biochemical mechanism and site(s) of action by which minoxidil stimulates hair growth are not yet clear. Minoxidil sulfate is the active metabolite of minoxidil, with regard to smooth muscle vasodilation and hair growth. Formation of minoxidil sulfate is catalyzed by specific PAPS-dependent sulfotransferase(s) and minoxidil-sulfating activities have been previously reported to be present in liver and hair follicles. One of these minoxidil-sulfating enzymes has been purified from rat liver (rat minoxidil sulfotransferase, MST) and a rabbit anti-MST antibody has been prepared. Using this anti-MST antibody, we have immunohistochemically localized minoxidil sulfotransferase in the liver and anagen hair follicles from rat. In rat pelage and vibrissa follicles, this enzyme is localized within the cytoplasm of epithelial cells in the lower outer root sheath. Although the immunolocalization of MST might not necessarily correlate with the MST activity known to be present in anagen follicles, the results of this study strongly suggest that the lower outer root sheath of the hair follicle may serve as a site for the sulfation of topically applied minoxidil.

Effects of several potassium channel openers and glibenclamide on the uterus of the rat

1. The ability of several potassium (K+) channel openers to inhibit spasm of the uterus of the nonpregnant rat and their susceptibility to antagonism by glibenclamide was assessed in vitro and in vivo. 2. In the isolated uterus exposed to oxytocin (0.2 nM), cromakalim, RP 49356 and pinacidil were of similar potency (mean pD2 = 6.4, 6.0 and 6.2 respectively) while minoxidil sulphate was of lower potency (pD2 = 4.7). Glibenclamide antagonized cromakalim and RP 49356 with the interactions consistent with competitive antagonism (mean pA2 of 6.57 and 7.00 respectively). Glibenclamide also antagonized pinacidil (pA2 = 6.22) but the slope of the Schild plot was significantly greater than -1. Neither salbutamol nor minoxidil sulphate was antagonized by glibenclamide (10 microM). 3. Cromakalim (1 and 10 microM), RP 49356 (1 and 10 microM), pinacidil (1 microM) and minoxidil sulphate (100 microM) suppressed spasm evoked by low (less than 40 mM) but not high (greater than or equal to 40 mM) KCl concentrations. Glibenclamide (10 microM) prevented cromakalim (10 microM)-, RP 49356 (10 microM)- and pinacidil (10 microM)-induced suppression of KCl (20 mM)-evoked spasm. Pinacidil (10 and 100 microM), cromakalim (100 microM) and salbutamol (0.01-1 microM) inhibited spasm evoked by all concentrations of KCl (10-80 mM). Suppression of spasm evoked by KCl (10-80 mM) by cromakalim (100 microM) and pinacidil (100 microM) was insensitive to glibenclamide (10 microM). 4. Cromakalim (0.1 mg kg-1) and RP 49356 (0.1 mg kg-1), given by i.v. bolus injection, inhibited uterine contractions, produced a fall in blood pressure and a slight tachycardia in the conscious ovariectomized rat. Glibenclamide (20mgkg-'), given by i.v. infusion, antagonized the vascular and uterine smooth muscle relaxant properties of cromakalim and RP 49356. 5. Several K+ channel openers are uterine relaxants. The antagonism of cromakalim, RP 49356 and pinacidil, at low concentrations, by glibenclamide suggests their actions may involve an ATP-sensitive K+channel. High concentrations of pinacidil (10 and 100 microM) and cromakalim (100 microM) may exert an additional action in the uterus. The low potency of minoxidil sulphate and its insensitivity to glibenclamide in the isolated uterus suggests that its mechanism of action may differ from that of the other K+ channel openers.

A sensitive in vitro functional assay to detect K+ — channel-dependent vasodilators

This study describes a sensitive in vitro relaxation assay using isolated rabbit mesenteric artery to detect the activity of a vasodilator as a K+-channel activator. Thus, comparison of several known K+-channel activators was made with other vasodilators known to work via various cellular mechanisms. The vasodilators used were minoxidil sulfate (MNXS; 5 μM), BRL-34915 (cromakalim, 0.1 μM), nicorandil (10 μM), pinacidil (1 μM), diazoxide (100 μM), sodium nitroprusside (10 μM), forskolin (1 μM), D600 (0.5 and 10 μM), hydralazine (10 μM), and viprostal (PGE1 analog, 5 μM). The concentrations chosen were equipotent to produce greater than 80% relaxation of the maximal norepinephrine (NE) (5 μM) contraction. At these concentrations, MNXS, cromakalim, pinacidil, nicorandil, and diazoxide were found to be ineffective in producing relaxation of 80 mM K+-contractions. Subsequently, pretreatment of tissues with 20 mM K+ before NE contraction was found to attenuate relaxation significantly by these agents, but had no effect on the relaxations by forskolin or D600. These initial criteria helped to establish cromakalim, pinacidil, nicorandil, and diazoxide as compounds acting similarly to MNXS as K+-channel-dependent. In another set of experiments, the effects of tetraethylammonium (TEA) (10 mM), Ba2+ (0.5 mM), and glyburide (1 μM) as K+-channel blockers were examined. Again it was found that these blockers had the most inhibitory effect on the class of compounds identified as K+ channel activators. Additionally, it was found that these K+-channel activators were without any significant effect on the NE-sensitive intracellular Ca2+ release as studied by contraction in a Ca2+-free solution. Thus, this series of functional criteria clearly show that the profile of these K+-channel activators is distinctly different from the vasodilators working via other mechanisms such as cyclic AMP (cAMP) (forskolin), cyclic GMP (cCMP) (nitroprusside), and Ca2+ antagonists (D600). It is suggested that appropriately defined, systematic functional studies, such as the one described here, can provide a sensitive and reproducible vascular model to discover and delineate the role of pharmacologically relevant mechanisms for vasodilation.

Minoxidil Sulfate Is the Active Metabolite that Stimulates Hair Follicles

An important step in understanding minoxidil's mechanism of action on hair follicles was to determine the drug's active form. We used organ-cultured vibrissa follicles to test whether it is minoxidil or its sulfated metabolite, minoxidil sulfate, that stimulates hair growth. Follicles from neonatal mice were cultured with or without drugs and effects were assessed by measuring incorporation of radiolabeled cysteine in hair shafts of the treated follicles. Assays of minoxidil sulfotransferase activity indicated that vibrissae follicles metabolize minoxidil to minoxidil sulfate. Dose-response studies showed that minoxidil sulfate is 14 times more potent than minoxidil in stimulating cysteine incorporation in cultured follicles. Three drugs that block production of intrafollicular minoxidil sulfate were tested for their effects on drug-induced hair growth. Diethylcarbamazine proved to be a noncompetitive inhibitor of sulfotransferase and prevented hair growth stimulation by minoxidil but not by minoxidil sulfate. Inhibiting the formation of intracellular PAPS with chlorate also blocked the action of minoxidil but not of minoxidil sulfate. Acetaminophen, a potent sulfate scavenger blocked cysteine incorporation by minoxidil. It also blocked follicular stimulation by minoxidil sulfate apparently by directly removing the sulfate from the drug. Experiments with U-51,607, a potent minoxidil analog that also forms a sulfated metabolite, showed that its activity was inhibited by both chlorate and diethylcarbamazine. These studies show that sulfation is a critical step for hair-growth effects of minoxidil and that it is the sulfated metabolite that directly affects hair follicles.