Kavain attenuates vascular contractility through inhibition of calcium channels.

Kavain is a biologically active compound from the Oceanic plant Piper methysticum (kava). Traditional medicinal uses of the kava root are many. Kava is increasingly being utilized by Western societies for its anxiolytic effects.

Rate of NO scavenging alters effects of recombinant hemoglobin solutions on pulmonary vasoreactivity.

Many hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) produce systemic and pulmonary hypertension and may increase microvascular permeability as a consequence of nitric oxide (NO) scavenging. In this study, we examined the effects of two recombinant human hemoglobin solutions, rHb1.1 and rHb2.