title: Interaction of dopamine, methyldopa and reserpine in the sympatho-adrenal system in essential hypertension.
abstract: 1. The interactions of dopamine, reserpine and methyldopa on blood pressure of normal subjects and of those with essential hypertension were examined. 2. When biosynthesis of noradrenaline from dopamine was blocked by reserpine, dopamine induced a prominent depressor effect in essential hypertension. 3. The long-term treatment with methyldopa induced a marked potentiateion of the pressor action of domapine in hypertension, although no significant pressor response was found in normal subjects. 4. It is suggested that methylnoradrenaline may accumulate in peripheral nerve endings of patients with essential hypertension in comparison with normal subjects, and this accumulated methylnoradrenaline potentiates the pressor response to dopamine in essential hypertension.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004298:Dopamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004357:Drug Synergism; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008750:Methyldopa / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008771:Nordefrin / Q000378:metabolism; D012110:Reserpine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014556:Urine
chemical_list: D008750:Methyldopa; D012110:Reserpine; D008771:Nordefrin; D004298:Dopamine