Mechanism of the cardiovascular activity of dibenzoxazepine in cats.
Small i.v. doses of dibenzoxazepine (DBO) (50--400 microgram/kg) given to anesthetized cats resulted in dose related increases in heart rate (up to 70 beats/min) and blood pressure (up to 80 mm Hg). The pressor response was blocked by pretreatment of the animals with phentolamine; pretreatment for 3 days with 6-hydroxdopamine; with mecamylamine and spinal transection between C1 and C2 but not by propranolol or adrenalectomy. The increase in heart rate was blocked by pretreatment with propranolol, 6-hydroxydopamine, mecamylamine and spinal transection whereas adrenalectomy only affected the response slightly. DBO produced only negative effects on the isolated rabbit heart. Bioassay of arterial blood showed an increased level of circulating catecholamines corresponding to the cardiovascular stimulation. DBO had no tyramine-like activity on the isolated rabbit aortic  strip but slightly potentiated the contraction induced by noradrenaline. These findings strongly suggest that the cardiovascular effects resulted from central stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system. A minor part of the observed sympathomimetic effects may also be the result of the ability of DBO to potentiate the effects of noradrenaline perhaps by blocking catecholamine uptake.
D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002415:Cats; D003989:Dibenzoxazepines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology; D013270:Stomach / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
D003989:Dibenzoxazepines