The Relaxant Action of Nicorandil in Bovine Tracheal Smooth Muscle

The relaxant mechanisms of nicorandil were examined by comparing its effects with those of sodium nitroprusside and cromakalim in bovine tracheal smooth muscle. In preparations contracted with methacholine (0.3 mu mol/l) or high K+ (40 mmol/l), nicorandil and sodium nitroprusside caused concentration-dependent relaxations. Their relaxant effects on high K+-contracted preparations were smaller than those on methacholine-contracted muscle. Cromakalim relaxed methacholine-contracted preparations, whereas it had no effect on high K+-contracted muscle. The inhibitor of soluble guanylyl cyclase 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ; 5 mu mol/l) completely prevented the relaxation induced by lower concentrations (<30 mu mol/l) of nicorandil, whereas it partially attenuated relaxation caused by higher concentrations. The ATP-sensitive K+ (K-ATP) channel blocker glibenclamide only partially attenuated the relaxant responses to nicorandil (at 100 and 300 mu mol/l). Combination treatment with ODQ and glibenclamide almost completely prevented nicorandil-induced relaxations. The large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel (Maxi K+ channel) inhibitor iberiotoxin significantly prevented the relaxations induced by lower concentrations (3 and 10 mu mol/l) of nicorandil. The preventive effect of iberiotoxin was markedly enhanced under the blockade of K-ATP channels with glibenclamide. These results suggest that nicorandil relaxes bovine tracheal smooth muscle through 2 mechanisms: opening of K-ATP channels and activation of the nitric oxide (NO)-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) pathway. Nicorandil may also activate Maxi K+ channels, possibly through the NO-cGMP pathway, and the interaction of K-ATP channels and Maxi K+ channels may affect the relaxant effect of nicorandil in bovine tracheal smooth muscle. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel