1-desamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin
The definitions used in this glossary of terminology either have been provided by the authors of the articles, or have been extracted wholly or in part, or paraphrased from the following sources: The American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine, Charles B. Clayman, MD, Medical Editor, Random House, New York, 1989; Biotechnology from A to Z, 2d Edition, William Bains, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2002; A Dictionary of Genetics, 6th Edition, Robert C. King and William D. Stansfield, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2002; Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary, 29th and 30th Editions, W. B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, 2000, 2003; Genes VII, Benjamin Lewin, Oxford University Press, New York, New York, 2000; The Gale Encyclopedia of Genetic Disorders, Volumes I and II, Stacey L. Blachford, Ed., Thomson Learning, New York, New York, 2002; The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Inc., Springfield, Massachusetts, 1997; Molecular Biology of the Cell, 3rd Edition, Bruce Alberts, et al., Garland Publishing, 1994; The Random House Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged Edition, 1966; Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, 1991.
DEFINITION:
- 1-desamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin
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1-desamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP or dDAVP or desmopressin) is a vasopressin analogue which has a potent antidiuretic potency (V2 receptor stimulation), prolonged duration of action and diminished pressor effects (V1 receptor stimulation). The natural hormone in man is ADH (antidiuretic hormone), also called vasopressin or arginine-vasopressin. ADH is a nonapeptide (molecular weight 1099) with pressor and antidiuretic actions.
The pressor effect is mediated by the V1 receptor stimulation which is localized mainly on the small muscle of the blood vessels and which stimulation induce " vasoconstriction ."
The decrease in urine volume after ADH administration is mediated by the stimulation by ADH of the V2 receptor, localized on the collecting tubule of the kidney. Patients with central diabetes insipidus are usually treated with dDAVP which stimulates only the V2 receptor. (Definition provided by G. Decaux, PhD, Hopital Erasme, Brussels.)