title: Effect of some autonomic drugs on heat defence in the pigeon.
abstract: As compared to the time of median control death (i.e. the time inducing 50% death in untreated birds at 50 degrees C), exogenous noradrenaline afforded 100% survival in the blue rock pigeon, Columba livia. The survival percentages with the other autonomic drugs were: chlorpromazine 70%; reserpine 60%; adrenaline 60%; pentolinium 50% and dihydroergotamine 30%. The time of median control death at 50 degrees C was found to be 3.5 hours in the pigeon. During 10-day exposure at 45 degrees C all the birds pre-treated with noradrenaline survived, and 47% of those treated with adrenaline and 42% of the untreated birds survived the stress. It is concluded that noradrenaline acts definitely as a "heat protective" hormone in the pigeon.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001337:Autonomic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002746:Chlorpromazine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010856:Columbidae / Q000502:physiology*; D004087:Dihydroergotamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010425:Pentolinium Tartrate / Q000494:pharmacology; D012110:Reserpine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001337:Autonomic Agents; D004087:Dihydroergotamine; D012110:Reserpine; D010425:Pentolinium Tartrate; D002746:Chlorpromazine; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine