Involvement of Potassium Channels in Vasorelaxant Effect Induced by Valeriana prionophylla Standl. in Rat Mesenteric Artery.

Assays in vitro and in vivo were performed on extract from roots and leaves from the Valeriana prionophylla Standl. (VPR and VPF, resp.).

Hypothalamic disconnection caudal to paraventricular nucleus affects cardiovascular and drinking responses to central angiotensin II and carbachol.

The paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) is an important area of the brain involved in the control of cardiovascular system and fluid-electrolyte balance. In the present study we evaluated the effects of hypothalamic disconnection (HD) caudal to PVN in the pressor and dipsogenic responses induced by intracerebroventricular (icv) injections of angiotensin II (ANG II) or carbachol (cholinergic agonist). Male Holtzman rats (280-320 g) with a stainless steel cannula implanted into the lateral ventricle and submitted to sham or HD surgery were used.