Objective: Adenosine deaminase catalyzes the conversion of adenosine and deoxyadenosine to inosine and deoxyinosine, respectively. Because raising adenosine concentration can affect several physiological processes we studied the effect of a selection of cardiological drugs on adenosine deaminase activity in red blood cells and rabbit plasma after 21 days administration.
Methods and results: We determined the activity of adenosine deaminase isoenzymes (ADA(1) and ADA(2)). Simvastatin, aspirin, metoprolol, and isosorbide mononitrate significantly decreased plasma total adenosine activity (by 50%, 34%, 29%, and 19%, respectively; P < .05 to P < .001) mainly by decreasing the activity of ADA(2).
Conclusions: As a consequence of decreased ADA(2) activity , the half-life of adenosine will be lengthened. This may, at least in part, explain some of the beneficial effects of analyzed drugs. Our results might be clinically relevant in patients with coronary artery disease, acute coronary syndromes, heart failure, or stroke where the investigated drugs are commonly used. However, our results should be confirmed in large studies in humans.