title: Comparison of activity of alpha-adrenoceptor agonists and antagonists in dog and rabbit saphenous vein.
abstract: The alpha adrenoceptors present on the saphenous vein of the dog and rabbit were characterised in vitro using the selective alpha 1 antagonist prazosin and the alpha 2 antagonists rauwolscine and yohimbine. In the dog saphenous vein, prazosin and rauwolscine competitively antagonised contractile responses to phenylephrine and UK-14,304 respectively. Noradrenaline was competitively blocked by prazosin only. In contrast, phenylephrine and methoxamine-induced responses in the rabbit saphenous vein were insensitive to prazosin and corynanthine. Rauwolscine competitively blocked responses to UK-14,304, noradrenaline and phenylephrine and pA2 values were similar against each agonist. Noradrenaline and UK-14,304 were equipotent agonists on the rabbit saphenous vein while in the dog vein noradrenaline has a lower potency than UK-14,304. These results suggest that the dog saphenous vein has a mixed population of alpha adrenoceptors, while the alpha adrenoceptors on the rabbit vein are homogeneous, with characteristics of the alpha 2 subtype.
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Alabaster
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Keir
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Peters
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011224:Prazosin / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000187:drug effects; D013045:Species Specificity; D015016:Yohimbine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D010656:Phenylephrine; D015016:Yohimbine; D009638:Norepinephrine; D011224:Prazosin