Effects of 25 mT static magnetic field on blood pressure in reserpine-induced hypotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats

We investigated the interrelated antihypotensive effects of static magnetic fields (SMF) and plasma catecholamine levels in reserpine-induced hypotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats. Seven-week-old male rats were exposed to two different ranges of SMF intensities, 3.0-10 mT (Bmax) or 7.5-25 mT (Bmax) for 12 weeks. Six experimental groups of 10 animals each were examined: (1) no exposure with intraperitoneal (ip) saline injection (sham exposed control); (2) 10 mT SMF exposure with ip saline injection (10 mT); (3) 25 mT SMF exposure with ip saline injection (25 mT); (4) no exposure with ip reserpine injection (RES); (5) 10 mT SMF exposure with ip reserpine injection (10 mT + RES); (6) 25 mT SMF exposure with ip reserpine injection (25 mT + RES). Reserpine (5 mg/kg) was administered three times a week for 12 weeks, and 18 h after each injection, arterial blood pressure (BP), heart rate, skin blood flow, plasma nitric oxide metabolites, plasma catecholamine levels, and behavioral parameters of a functional observational battery (FOB) were monitored. The action of reserpine significantly decreased BP, reduced plasma norepinephrine (NE), increased the FOB hunched posture score and decreased the number of rearing events in the RES group, compared with the respective age-matched control group. Exposure to 25 mT, but not 10 mT, for 2-12 weeks significantly prevented the reserpine-induced decrease of BP in the 25 mT + RES group compared with the respective RES group. Moreover, exposure to 25 mT for 5 weeks partially suppressed the reserpine-induced NE reduction, but did not bring about a complete reversal of reserpine effects. NE levels for the 25 mT + RES group for 5 weeks were significantly higher compared with the RES group, but still lower compared with the control group. In addition, the FOB hunched posture score for the 25 mT + RES group was significantly lower and the number of rearing events was higher compared with the RES group, but these behavioral parameters did not revert to control levels. There were no significant differences in any of the physiological or behavioral parameters measured between the 10 mT + RES and RES groups, nor between the two different SMF groups and the control group. These results indicate that 25 mT SMF with spatial gradients significantly suppressed the reserpine-induced hypotension and bradykinesia. The antihypotensive effects of SMF on the reserpine-treated group might be at least partially related to the inhibition of NE depletion.