Effect of dazoxiben on the metabolism of arachidonic acid in isolated porcine basilar arteries

Dazoxiben, a selective TXA2 synthetase inhibitor, was studied in the incubating sections of porcine basilar arteries with arachidonic acid (AA) 50 mumols/L and calcimycin (calcium inophore A-23187) 50 mumol/L. TXB2 and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha were determined by radioimmunoassay. Leukotrienes (LT) were extracted and purified with SEP-PAK column, identified by HPLC and determined by bioassay with ileum of guinea pig. The results showed that the production of TXB2 was unaltered whether or not the incubation of arteries were induced by AA or calcimycin. Dazoxiben and indomethacin 0.05-50 mumols/L had no effects on the production of TXB2. However, dazoxiben 0.5, 5 and 50 mumols/L increased the production of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha by 16.3%, 19.0% and 30.7%, respectively. Indomethacin 0.5, 5 and 50 mumols/L decreased the production of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha by 22.3%, 24.9% and 24.0%, respectively. Meanwhile dazoxiben 1, 10 and 100 mumols/L decreased the production of LT by 33.4%, 45.6% and 66.4%, respectively. These results suggest that the protective effect of dazoxiben on the damages which resulted from brain ischemia may be related to the change of TAX2/PGI2 balance in the brain tissue as well as the inhibition of production of LT.