Inhibitory effects of sertraline in rat isolated perfused kidneys and in isolated ring preparations of rat arteries.

OBJECTIVES

Sertraline is often prescribed to patients suffering with end stage renal disease, but its action on kidney has not been investigated. We aimed to investigate the pharmacological action of sertraline on rat kidney with emphasis on the underlying mechanisms involved in the vascular actions of the drug.

METHODS

The effects of sertraline were evaluated in rat isolated perfused kidneys and on ring preparations of mesenteric or segmental rat renal artery.

KEY FINDINGS: In kidneys, sertraline prevented the effects of phenylephrine on perfusion pressure, glomerular filtration rate, urinary flow and renal vascular resistance. In mesenteric rings sertraline inhibited phenylephrine-induced contractions with potency 30-times lower than verapamil. Sertraline reversed sustained contractions induced by phenylephrine or 60mm K(+) within a similar concentration range. In segmental isolated rings, sertraline also reversed contractions induced by phenylephrine or 60mm K(+) with the same concentration range, but with higher potency compared with mesenteric preparations. Under Ca(2+) -free conditions, sertraline did not change the intracellularly-mediated phasic contractions induced by phenylephrine or caffeine. Sertraline was ineffective against contractions induced by extracellular Ca(2+) restoration after thapsigargin treatment and Ca(2+) store depletion with phenylephrine. Conversely, sertraline decreased the contractions induced by Ca(2+) addition in tissues under high K(+) solution or phenylephrine plus verapamil.

CONCLUSIONS

In rat isolated kidneys and in rat ring preparations of mesenteric or renal vessels, sertraline had antispasmodic effects that appeared to be caused by a direct action on vascular smooth muscle cells. Its actions were ineffective against Ca(2+) -releasing intracellular pathways, but appeared to interfere with sarcolemmal Ca(2+) influx with reduced permeability of both receptor- and voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels.