We examined the hypothesis that dilatation of the basilar artery in response to activation of ATP-sensitive potassium channels is impaired in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). Changes in basilar artery diameter in response to aprikalim, a direct activator of ATP-sensitive potassium channels, were measured in anesthetized SHRSP and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats through...

Recent studies have shown that intracerebroventricular administration of cimetidine (CIM) induces anti-nociceptive and anti–inflammatory effects in rats. However, the underlying mechanism of CIM effect has not been determined yet. This study was planned to determine the anti-nociceptive effect of CIM (50 mg/kg, i.p.) in male mice (25-30 g, n = 80) using tail flick test. Also, the role of ATP-se...

ATP sensitive potassium (KATP) channels are metabolic sensors with channel activity promoted by decreases in ATP andnor increases in MgADP. The most studied are channels present in cardiac myocytes and pancreatic b cells but KATP currents also exist more widely in a range of tissues and organs [1,2]. The channel is a hetero-octamer comprising four sulphonylurea receptors and four pore-forming i...