pituitrin and azepexole

Pithed rats were used to compare the abilities of vasopressin and NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) to prevent the early (1 h after starting an endotoxin infusion) E. coli endotoxin-induced impairment of pressor responsiveness to noradrenaline, cirazoline, BHT 933 and to sympathetic stimulation (T8). L-NAME increased arterial blood pressure and augmented pressor responses to noradrenaline and to sympathetic nerve stimulation to a similar degree in control and endotoxin-treated rats. The response to the alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist cirazoline was augmented by L-NAME in endotoxin-treated rats only, whereas the response to the alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist BHT 933 was unaffected. Vasopressin (0.64 I.U. kg-1 h-1) prevented the hypotension that resulted from endotoxin administration and produced a similar increase in blood pressure to that produced by L-NAME. This dose of vasopressin also augmented pressor responses to noradrenaline and sympathetic nerve stimulation similarly in both control and endotoxin-treated rats. Sodium nitroprusside, in a dose that mimicked the degree of hypotension caused by endotoxin, also impaired pressor responsiveness to cirazoline; this impairment was prevented by co-infusion of vasopressin. Thus the effects of L-NAME in preventing the early phase of endotoxin-induced impairment of vascular responsiveness may be related to its hypertensive properties, due to inhibition of the constitutive form of nitric oxide synthase, rather than inhibition of endotoxin-induced nitric oxide synthase. These data suggest that early endotoxin-induced impairment of vascular reactivity probably involves factors other than nitric oxide. The well documented effect of endotoxin in inducing nitric oxide synthase probably explains the later, more sustained loss of vascular responsiveness.

Topics: Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; Animals; Arginine; Azepines; Blood Pressure; Decerebrate State; Electric Stimulation; Endotoxins; Imidazoles; Male; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; Nitric Oxide Synthase; Nitroprusside; Norepinephrine; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Sympathetic Nervous System; Vascular Resistance; Vasopressins

This study examined the ability of moderately well-developed coronary collateral vasculature to undergo vasoconstriction in response to alpha-adrenergic agonists, vasopressin and angiotensin, and vasodilation in response to nitroglycerin. Studies were performed in 20 dogs 4-16 wk after left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion had been produced by an Ameroid constrictor or hollow intravascular plug. Collateral flow was estimated from retrograde flow from the cannulated left anterior descending artery. Tissue flow was measured with microspheres. Agonists were introduced into the left main coronary artery to reach collaterals arising from the left circumflex and septal arteries. Vasopressin and angiotensin II decreased retrograde flow from 22.7 +/- 5.5 to 15.5 +/- 2.7 and from 19.2 +/- 2.8 to 14.3 +/- 1.9 ml/min, respectively (each P less than 0.05). Both agents also significantly decreased tissue flow to normally perfused and collateral dependent myocardium. Neither the selective alpha 1-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine nor the alpha 2-agonist B-HT 933 decreased retrograde flow. Nitroglycerin increased retrograde flow by 63 +/- 27% (P less than 0.01). Thus, although the moderately well-developed coronary collateral circulation is capable of vasoconstriction in response to vasopressin and angiotensin II, these data fail to support a role for alpha-adrenergic mechanisms in modulating collateral flow.

Topics: Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; Angiotensin II; Animals; Azepines; Coronary Circulation; Coronary Vessels; Dogs; Neovascularization, Pathologic; Nitroglycerin; Phenylephrine; Reference Values; Vasoconstriction; Vasopressins

The effects of selective alpha adrenoceptor agonists and antagonists on vasopressin (VP)-sensitive cyclic AMP (cAMP) formation in microdissected rat papillary collecting ducts were examined. In the presence of 10(-10) M VP, norepinephrine and the selective alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonist, B-HT 933, produced almost total inhibition of VP-stimulated cAMP accumulation. Half-maximal inhibition occurred at 1 x 10(-8) M and 6 x 10(-7) M for norepinephrine and B-HT 933, respectively. Cirazoline, a selective alpha-1 adrenoceptor agonist, had no significant effect on VP-stimulated cAMP accumulation. The inhibitory effects of norepinephrine and B-HT 933 were antagonized by rauwolscine but not by prazosin. The antagonism of B-HT 933-induced inhibition of VP-stimulated cAMP accumulation was competitive with an antagonist dissociation constant (KB) of 10.9 x 10(-9) M. Preincubation of papillary collecting ducts with pertussis toxin (1 microgram/ml for 1 hr at 37 degrees C) attenuated, by 65%, the inhibitory effect of B-HT 933 on VP-stimulated cAMP levels. These results demonstrate that alpha-2 adrenoceptors capable of inhibiting VP action are present on the papillary collecting duct. Furthermore, the alpha-2 adrenoceptor-induced inhibition of VP-stimulated cAMP accumulation is pertussis-toxin sensitive. This suggests that alpha-2 adrenoceptors are coupled negatively to adenylate cyclase, via the guanine nucleotide binding protein, in the collecting tubule.

Topics: Adenylate Cyclase Toxin; Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; Animals; Azepines; Cyclic AMP; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; In Vitro Techniques; Kidney Tubules; Kidney Tubules, Collecting; Male; Norepinephrine; Pertussis Toxin; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; Vasopressins; Virulence Factors, Bordetella

The influence of the slow channel calcium entry blocker, nifedipine, and the slow channel calcium entry promoter, BAY-K 8644, on receptor-mediated hemodynamic responses was studied in chronically instrumented, conscious dogs. Following ganglionic, cholinergic, and beta-adrenergic blockade, equipressor doses of phenylephrine (0.6 microgram/kg iv), a selective alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist, and B-HT 933 (20 micrograms/kg iv), a selective alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist, as well as a nonadrenergic vasoconstrictor, vasopressin (0.003 IU/kg) were administered before and after infusions of nifedipine or BAY-K 8644 (0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 micrograms X kg-1 X min-1). In doses producing minimal or no haemodynamic effects, nifedipine caused dose-related attenuation from control of phenylephrine- (from 26 +/- 3 to 8 +/- 1 mmHg), B-HT 933- (from 30 +/- 2 to 5 +/- 2 mmHg), and vasopressin- (24 +/- 1 to 2 +/- 2 mmHg) mediated changes in mean arterial pressure. In contrast, BAY-K 8644 produced dose-related potentiation from control of the same pressor responses (phenylephrine, 24 +/- 2 to 41 +/- 3 mmHg; B-HT 933, 28 +/- 3 to 46 +/- 2 mmHg; vasopressin, 25 +/- 3 to 45 +/- 5 mmHg). In addition, BAY-K 8644 produced a marked increase in the duration of the pressor response produced by all three agonists. Thus, in conscious dogs, alpha 1-, alpha 2-, and vasopressin-mediated pressor responses are strongly modulated by transmembrane calcium flux and can be influenced by dihydropyridine slow channel calcium agonists and antagonists.

Topics: 3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-4-(2-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-, Methyl ester; Animals; Atropine Derivatives; Azepines; Calcium; Dogs; Female; Hemodynamics; Hexamethonium; Hexamethonium Compounds; Ion Channels; Male; Nifedipine; Phenylephrine; Propranolol; Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; Receptors, Angiotensin; Receptors, Vasopressin; Vasopressins

The role of central adrenergic receptors in the control of vasopressin release was studied in the conscious rat. Norepinephrine (10 micrograms) and the alpha-1 agonist, phenylephrine (50 micrograms), administered intracerebroventricularly resulted in significant increases in the plasma vasopressin concentration and blood pressure. The alpha-2 agonist, BHT 933 (50 micrograms) and the beta agonist, isoproterenol (10 micrograms) both caused a significant decrease in the plasma vasopressin concentration with only small changes in blood pressure. The central administration of the alpha-1 antagonist corynanthine (20 micrograms) had no effect on the plasma vasopressin concentration; however, increases in plasma vasopressin levels were observed when either the alpha-2 antagonist yohimbine (20 micrograms) or the beta antagonist propranolol (20 micrograms) were given. It is concluded that central noradrenergic pathways may play an important role in the control of vasopressin release and that this control may involve alpha-1, alpha-2 and beta adrenoreceptors.

Topics: Animals; Azepines; Blood Pressure; Isoproterenol; Male; Norepinephrine; Phenylephrine; Propranolol; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Receptors, Adrenergic; Vasopressins; Yohimbine