Drug actions in rats with arteriosclerosis induced by toxic doses of vitamin D2.

The vascular response of isolated perfused hind legs from normal and arteriosclerotic rats to noradrenaline, ATP, PGF2 alpha and vasopressin was determined. The increase of perfusion pressure to noradrenaline and ATP was reduced and that to PGF2 alpha and vasopressin was enhanced in arteriosclerotic rats in comparison to normal animals. The results indicate that the reactivity of the vascular smooth muscle of isolated hind legs of arterioslerotic rats is not only quantitatively but also qualitatively different in comparison with normal rats.