Introduction: Ethyl pyruvate (EP), a natural flavoring and fragrance agent, has been shown to exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions. We tested the potential beneficial effects of EP in a rat model of acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP), a serious condition with a significant inflammatory explosion and oxidative stress. Material and methods: Fifty-two adult male Sprague-Dawley rats we...

AIMS Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) is well known to modulate fluid and electrolyte homeostasis but also to counter-regulate hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. Correspondingly, recent studies suggest an important role of ANP in the neurobiology of anxiety. Preclinical and clinical data now provide evidence for an involvement of ANP in the pathophysiology of addictive behavior...

Studies done in vitro have demonstrated that atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) antagonizes angiotensin II-mediated contraction of vascular smooth muscle. The present studies were designed to examine the in vivo actions of ANP in acute angiotensin II-mediated hypertension. The cardiovascular, renal, and hormonal effects of intravenous ANP were evaluated in anesthetized normotensive (n = 6) and hy...

To investigate the ventricular expression of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in human hypertrophic hearts, we conducted an immunohistochemical study of 130 endomyocardial biopsy specimens obtained from the right side of the ventricular septum (RVB), left ventricular free wall (LVB), or both from a total of 80 patients: 44 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), 14 with apical hypertro...

To investigate the ventricular expression of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in human hypertrophic hearts, we conducted an immunohistochemical study of 130 endomyocardial biopsy specimens obtained from the right side of the ventricular septum (RVB), left ventricular free wall (LVB), or both from a total of 80 patients: 44 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), 14 with apical hypertro...

The existence of a circadian rhythm of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in humans is controversial. We studied the plasma ANP response to isotonic blood volume expansion in the morning and in the afternoon and its relationship with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-cortisol diurnal variation in seven normal subjects. Basal plasma ANP level was similar in the morning (19.6 +/- 2.4 pg/ml) and in...

Acute and chronic experiments were performed in rats to examine whether atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) has any beneficial effects on glycerol-induced acute renal failure (ARF). ANP infusion (Atriopeptin III, 1.0 microgram/kg+0.2 microgram/kg/min) improved the renal blood flow (RBF) and the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and induced profound natriuresis in the early stage of ARF. By contras...

The atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), a member of the natriuretic peptide family, is a cardiovascular hormone which possesses well defined natriuretic, diuretic and vasodilating properties. Most of the biological effects of ANP are mediated through its guanylyl cyclase coupled receptor. ANP and its receptors have been shown to be expressed and differentially regulated in the immune system, and ...

BACKGROUND High levels of endogenous atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) are thought to compensate the condition of patients with heart failure by reducing preload and afterload. However, recent reports have indicated that a high plasma ANP level is a prognostic predictor in patients with heart failure. Therefore, the role of endogenous ANP has not been clearly established in patients with heart f...