The effect of nebivolol on the production of nitric oxide induced by bacterial lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycan in mice

Abstract

35 µg/g). One group of mice was injected with saline and another served as control. Three mice from each group were bled 1, 3, 6 and 9 hours post-injection, the blood was pooled and the nitrite serum levels, reflecting NO concentration, were determined using Greiss reagent. The following results were obtained: 1) Treatment with saline did not induce NO production; 2) LPS induced NO production to a maximal limit of 545% at 9 hours as compared to treatment with saline; 3) PGN did not induce NO production; 4) Nebivolol at most doses and periods (7 out of 10 determinations) increased NO production over a range of 18-110% as compared to treatment with saline; 5) Nebivolol enhanced LPS-induced production of NO by 58% at a dose of 0.7 µg/gm at 9 hours. It is concluded that nebivolol induces NO production. At low doses nebivolol initially appeared to have a suppressive or no effect on NO production induced by LPS. Increase in the dose of nebivolol resulted in augmentation of LPS-induced production of NO. PGN, in the dose tested, did not have an effect on NO production.