ARGININE ANTAGONISTS FOR INHIBITION OF SYSTEMIC HYPOTENSION ASSOCIATED WITH NITRIC OXIDE PRODUCTION OR ENDOTHELIAL DERIVED RELAXING FACTOR

摘要

A method for prophylaxis or treatment of an animal for systemic hypotension induced by internal nitrogen oxide produc- tion. The method involves administering a therapeutically effective amount o f certain arginine derivatives to inhibit nitrogen ox- ide formation from arginine. Preferably N G-substituted arginine or an NG,NG - disubstituted arginine (having at least one hy- drogen on a terminal guanidino amino group replaced by another atomic specie s) is administered to an animal possibly developing or already having such induced systemic hypotension. The arginine derivatives are preferably of the L configura- tion and include pharmaceutically acceptable addition salts. Prophylaxis or treatment of systemic hypotension in a patient which has been induced by chemotherapeutic treatment with biologic response modifiers such as tumor necrosis factor or interleukin-2 may be accomplished. Treatment of an animal for systemic hypotension induced by endotoxin, i.e., septic shock may also be accomplished by treatment with the arginine derivatives.