Circulatory and respiratory consequences of massive hemorrhage are reversed by protoveratrines.
In a rat model of severe hypotension and respiratory depression induced by step-wise bleeding, protoveratrines cause a prompt and sustained improvement of cardiovascular and respiratory functions, both in anesthetized and in conscious animals, seemingly through a magnification of the reflex response originated by the chemoreceptors of aortic and carotid bodies. The restoration of cardiovascular function is attributable to an increase both in total peripheral resistance and cardiac output. The finding could provide the basis for a new approach to the first-aid management of massive blood losses.
Bertolini
A
A
Institute of Pharmacology, University of Modena, Italy.
Ferrari
W
W
Guarini
S
S
Tagliavini
S
S
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002344:Carotid Body / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007022:Hypotension / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D011526:Protoveratrines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012769:Shock / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014628:Vagotomy; D014704:Veratrum Alkaloids / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D011526:Protoveratrines; D014704:Veratrum Alkaloids