title: Ontogeny of alpha- and beta-adrenergic anorexia in rats.
abstract: The anorectic action of alpha- (phenylephrine) and beta- (isoproterenol) adrenergic agonists was studied in mildly deprived neonatal, weanling, prepubescent, and adult rats. Intraperitoneal phenylephrine produced a reduction of food intake at all ages but with reduced potency and with a maximum of 50% in neonates. Contrary to intramuscular epinephrine that has no effect on feeding at any age, intramuscular phenylephrine was as effective as intraperitoneal in neonates, probably because it is not as rapidly destroyed in tissues as epinephrine. However, in weanlings and adults intramuscular phenylephrine was much less anorectic than intraperitoneal, suggesting that this effect is exerted via the liver. Isoproterenol did not reduce milk intake at any age before adulthood. Lactate had no effect on milk intake before the age of 40 days. Thus catecholamine anorexia is a purely alpha-adrenergic effect in young rats and appears before the metabolic effect of lactate. beta-Adrenergic anorexia, on the other hand, can be obtained only after puberty, suggesting that the mechanism mediating it matures after the preparatory action of the sexual hormones.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, National School of Biological Sciences, National Polytechnic Institute, México, D.F., México.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lora-Vilchis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chambert
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Zendejas
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Soto-Mora
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Russek
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Epstein
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000855:Anorexia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001066:Appetite / Q000187:drug effects*; D001067:Appetite Depressants; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000502:physiology*; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001067:Appetite Depressants; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D010656:Phenylephrine; D007545:Isoproterenol