Commissural nucleus of the solitary tract regulates the antihypertensive effects elicited by moxonidine

Centrally acting drug moxonidine decreases reactive oxygen species via inactivation of the phosphoinositide-3 kinase signaling in the rostral ventrolateral medulla in hypertensive rats

“…Cardiovascular effect of moxonidine in the NTS has been documented. For example, moxonidine in the NTS presents a hypotensive effect via a2-adrenergic receptor [57] or nitric oxide mechanism [58]. Therefore, we did not exclude the possibility that the AT 1 R-associated ROS in the NTS is also involved in the effect of central moxonidine.…”

GABA mechanisms of the nucleus of the solitary tract regulates the cardiovascular and sympathetic effects of moxonidine

“…The NTS contains a large number of catecholaminergic neurons and different subclasses of αadrenergic receptors, such as α 1 -and α 2 -ARs (Duale et al, 2007;Carrettiero et al, 2012). Previous study from our laboratory showed that moxonidine injected in the commNTS produced a reduction in arterial pressure and sympathetic outflow and the pre-treatment with yohimbine or RX821002, specific α 2 -AR antagonists, abolished the hypotension and the sympathoinhibition by moxonidine, suggesting the involvement of central α 2 -AR in these responses at the level of the commNTS (Totola et al, 2013). The activation of α 2 -AR may attenuate the activity of second-order commNTS neurons leading to an inhibition of the presympathetic RVLM/C1 neurons.…”

“…Centrally antihypertensive drugs have been used as a pharmacological treatment to reduce blood pressure (Edwards et al, 2012). Many brainstem, spinal cord and forebrain regions have been suggested to be crucial where clonidine or moxonidine-like drugs influence the autonomic nervous system (Isaac, 1980;Head et al, 1998;Totola et al, 2013). The NTS and RVLM/C1 regions are the main sites of action of these drugs (Lipski et al, 1976;Bousquet et al, 1981;Dominiak, 1994;Guyenet, 1997;Hayar and Guyenet, 2000;Totola et al, 2013).…”

“…The NTS and the RVLM/C1 are considered the main brainstem regions of centrally acting antihypertensive drugs Guyenet, 1997;Ernsberger and Haxhiu, 1997;Totola et al, 2013). Preliminary results from our laboratory depicted that moxonidine act on α 2 -adrenoceptors (α 2 -AR) in the commissural aspect of the NTS (commNTS) to produce hypotension and sympathoinhibition in anesthetized and conscious rats (Totola et al, 2013).…”

Lesion of medullary catecholaminergic neurons is associated with cardiovascular dysfunction in rotenone‐induced Parkinson's disease rats

“…Based on the pathological characteristics of the Braak model, there has been considerable interest in recent years in the possibility that PD progression is mediated in a prion‐like fashion, with the spread and seeding of sequentially involved brain areas by misfolded α‐synuclein (Visanji et al ., ; Herva & Spillantini, ). Medulla oblongata is the primary brain region involved in the PD pathology before SN (Braak et al ., ).Catecholaminergic neurons of the RVLM are critical to the tonic and reflexive regulation of arterial pressure and involved in its long‐term regulation (Colombari et al ., ; Totola et al ., ); these form the majority of C1 neurons in the medulla oblongata (Madden & Sved, ). These neurons contain the enzyme PNMT, which catalyses the final step in the biosynthesis of epinephrine (Madden & Sved, ).…”