Citation: Saracheva KE, Prissadova NA, Turiiski VI, Slavchev VI, Krastev AD, Getova DP. Effects of the novel high-affi nity 5-HT(1B/1D)-receptor ligand frovatriptan on the rat carotid artery.Folia Medica 2017;59(1): 31-36. doi: 10.1515/folmed-2017-0006 Background: In blood vessels 5-HT stimulates sympathetic nerves, the endothelium and vascular smooth muscle cells. Triptans are specifi c anti-migraine drugs and they activate the serotoninergic 5HT1b/d receptors causing vasoconstriction of the cerebral vessels. Aim: To evaluate the eff ect of frovatriptan on isolated rat carotid artery. Methods: Contractile activity of the preparations was registered isometrically. Krebs solution (pH = 7.4) was used for washing smooth muscle (SM) preparations aerated with 95% O 2 and 5% CO 2 at 37°C. The 60-minute adaptation of tone level of preparations was taken as a starting tone and the changes such as contraction or relaxation were calculated using it. Results: Frovatriptan (1×10 -6 mol/l -1×10 -5 mol/l) induced a contraction, but at higher concentrations it caused relaxation of the carotid artery. The L-norepinephrine contractile reaction was enhanced in the presence of frovatriptan. In the presence of 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, methysergide, frovatriptan increased the relaxation. In the presence of the specifi c α-1 receptor antagonist, prazosin, the frovatriptan-induced relaxation decreased.
Conclusion:The observed contractile eff ect of frovatriptan is probably associated with the main eff ect of the drug -activation of the serotoninergic 5HT 1B /1D receptors causing vasoconstriction of the cerebral vessels and their anti-migraine eff ect. At higher concentrations, frovatriptan, most likely via some non-specifi c mechanism, could activate the following intracellular chain reaction: stimulation of α 1D could activate eNOS which may increase in the concentration of NO which results in the fi nal eff ect of relaxation.
BACKGROUND