Antioxidant activity of different dihydropyridines

Lacidipine, a dihydropyridine-based calcium antagonist (DHP), has already been demonstrated to possess antioxidant activity and to reduce the intracellular production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). To verify if this effect is a peculiarity of this molecule, or belongs to other DHPs, the activity of lacidipine was compared with those of amlodipine, lercanidipine, nimodipine, and nifedipine. The DHPs were incorporated in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs). Cu 2+-oxidized LDL (ox-LDL, 5 μM) was incubated with BAECs for 5 min. 2 ′,7 ′-Dichlorofluorescein (DCF) as expression of intracellular ROS production was measured by flow cytometry. Ox-LDL induced a strong increase in intracellular ROS formation ( p