• donatori di H2S
• muscolatura liscia vascolare
• H2S
• effetto vasorilasciante
• canali del potassio

Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is considered to be the third novel “gasotransmitter” in addition to nitric oxide and carbon monoxide.
H2S is biosynthesized in mammalian tissues by two enzymes, cystathionine β synthase and cystathionine gamma-lyase, and it is involved in many physiological and pathological events.
This gas seems to play a pivotal role in vascular homeostasis.
It has been demonstrated that H2S induces KATP channel-dependent vasorelaxation and that spontaneous hypertension is often associated to its lowered plasmatic levels.
These evidences put us on way to investigate the role of H2S in vascular tone regulation and its importance on cardiovascular diseases.
The present study aimed at examining and characterising the vasorelaxing effect induced by H2S on vascular smooth muscle.
In our experimental work the substances under consideration were two exogenous H2S-donors, such as NaHS and diallyl disulfide, and the endogenous substrate of the enzyme-mediated H2S-biosynthesis, such as L-cysteine. In order to investigate the pharmacodynamic profile of the vasoactivity of H2S, its vascular effects were also studied in the presence of some potassium channel blockers.