Different sensitivity of blocking effects of alpha-adrenoceptor blocking agents on vascular responses to intraluminal norepinephrine and periarterial stimulation in isolated dog arteries

Abstract

The stainless steel cannula inserting method was used to examine the effects of periarterial electrical nerve stimulation and intraluminal norepinephrine in the isolated and perfused mesenteric artery of the dog. The optimum conditions for inducing an increase in perfusion pressure over 50 mmHg to periarterial electrical stimulation were 3-5 msec duration, 40-50 volts and 10-20 Hz. After the treatment with phentolamine or prazosin, the vasoconstrictor response to norepinephrine was readily inhibited completely at a relative small dose of 0.3-3 micrograms. Periarterial stimulation-induced vasoconstriction was also significantly suppressed by a relatively large dose of 100 micrograms of phentolamine or prazosin in concentrations 30 to 100 times larger than that required for blocking the norepinephrine-induced constriction. Yohimbine in relatively small doses potentiated the stimulation-induced vasoconstriction, but rather suppressed it in a large dose. The constrictor response to periarterial stimulation was significantly suppressed by 1 and 10 micrograms of intraluminal tetrodotoxin. It is concluded that periarterial electrical stimulation in the cannula inserting method is useful for studying autonomic pharmacology and physiology in vasculature with due regard to the characteristics.