title: Dihydroergotoxine-induced bradycardia in rats.
abstract: Dihydroergotoxine (0.01-0.3 mg kg-1 i.v.) decreased heart rate in pentobarbitone-anaesthetized rats. The bradycardia was reduced but not blocked by pre-treatment with guanethidine, yohimbine, propranolol or pithing. It was not prevented by bivagotomy, atropine, sulpiride or haloperidol. Dihydroergotoxine failed to affect, either the bradycardia produced by electrical stimulation of the vagus, or the cardioacceleration induced by i.v. isoprenaline. The increase in heart rate elicited in pithed rats by electrical stimulation of the spinal cord was reduced by dihydroergotoxine; this effect being inhibited by yohimbine but not by sulpiride. In conclusion, the main mechanism by which dihydroergotoxine (i.v.) induces bradycardia in the rat involves stimulation of alpha 2-adrenoceptors located predominantly at the cardiac sympathetic nerve endings.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Pharmacodynamie, U.E.R. de Pharmacie, Université de Bordeaux II, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roquebert
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Grenié
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003655:Decerebrate State; D004088:Dihydroergotoxine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004088:Dihydroergotoxine