Captopril antagonizes the hypotensive action of atrial natriuretic peptide in the anaesthetized rat.

Atrial natriuretic peptide (8-33; ANP) caused a prolonged hypotensive response following intravenous injection in anaesthetized rats. This response was abolished by captopril treatment and restored by concomitant angiotensin II infusion. These results suggest that ANP exerts its hypotensive action in the anaesthetized rat by the antagonism of the vasoconstrictor action of endogenous angiotensin II.