[Effect of irbesartan, an antagonist of AT-1 receptors for angiotensin II, on L-arginine metabolism in arterial hypertension].
Effects of an antagonist of AT-1 receptors for angiotensin-II (Ang-II) irbezantane on the NO-synthase and arginase ways of the metabolism of L-arginine were studied in plasma and erythrocytes of the patients with arterial hypertension. The intensity of the non-oxidative arginase way of L-arginine metabolism in plasma and erythrocytes has been shown to be inhanced at hypertension versus the normotensive patients, while the activity of the alternative oxidative NO-synthase way was reduced. Inhibiting AT-1 receptors for Ang-II with high-affinity antagonist irbezantane normalized the ratio between two alternative ways of L-arginine metabolism through inhibiting the arginase way and reciprocal activating the NO-synthase way both in human plasma and erythrocytes.