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Elevation of oxygen release by nitroglycerin without an increase in blood flow in the hepatic microcirculation

Nature Medicine volume 3, pages 456–459 (1997)Cite this article

Abstract

The effect of nitroglycerin on oxygen (O2) release in the microcirculation was investigated by examining single, unbranched hepatic sinusoids of rats using dual-spot microspectroscopy. Nitroglycerin significantly increased O2 release from erythrocytes flowing in the sinusoids. Differences in O2 saturation of hemoglobin per unit length of the sinusoid were significantly enhanced, while there were no significant changes in erythrocyte velocity, hemoglobin concentration or oxyhemoglobin flow into the sinusoids, or in regional hepatic blood flow measured with a laser tissue blood flow meter. No change was noted for hepatic O2 consumption measured in isolated liver perfused with hemoglobin-free oxygenated buffer. Isosorbide dinitrate showed a similar but slower effect. These findings suggest that nitroglycerin and isosorbide dinitrate enhance O2 release from erythrocytes without significantly increasing tissue blood flow.

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  1. Hiroaki Kosaka

    Present address: The Second Department of Physiology, Kagawa Medical University 1750-1 Ooaza-ikenobe, Miki-cho, Kita-gun, Kagawa, 761-07, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The First Department of Physiology, Medical School, Osaka University, Osaka, 565, Japan

    Hiroaki Kosaka & Akitoshi Seiyama

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  1. Hiroaki Kosaka
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  2. Akitoshi Seiyama
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Kosaka, H., Seiyama, A. Elevation of oxygen release by nitroglycerin without an increase in blood flow in the hepatic microcirculation. Nat Med 3, 456–459 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm0497-456

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