Hypoxic
pulmonary hypertension (HPH) is a syndrome characterized by the increase of pulmonary vascular tone and the structural remodeling of peripheral pulmonary arteries. The aim of specific
therapies for hypoxic
pulmonary hypertension is to reduce pulmonary vascular resistance, reverse pulmonary
vascular remodeling, and thereby improving right ventricular function.
Iptakalim, a lipophilic para-amino compound with a low molecular weight, has been demonstrated to be a new selective
ATP-sensitive
potassium (K(
ATP)) channel opener via pharmacological, electrophysiological, biochemical studies, and receptor binding tests. In
hypoxia-induced animal models,
iptakalim decreases the elevated mean pressure in pulmonary arteries, and attenuates remodeling in the right ventricle, pulmonary arteries and airways. Furthermore,
iptakalim has selective
antihypertensive effects, selective vasorelaxation effects on smaller arteries, and protective effects on endothelial cells, but no effects on the central nervous, respiratory, digestive or endocrine systems at therapeutic dose. Our previous studies demonstrated that
iptakalim inhibited the effects of
endothelin-1, reduced the intracellular
calcium concentration and inhibited the proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. Since
iptakalim has been shown safe and effective in both experimental animal models and phase I clinical trials, it can be a potential candidate of HPH in the future.