title: Anabolic effects of the beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist salmeterol are dependent on route of administration.
abstract: It is reported that a long duration of action is required for beta 2-adrenoceptor agonists to evoke an anabolic response. In the present study, we compare the potency of clenbuterol with that of the new long-acting compound salmeterol, when given at equimolar doses to female Wistar rats by different routes of administration. Given orally for 10 days, salmeterol had no effect on growth at a dose of 120 micrograms/day, whereas at 2.4 mg/day the drug caused significant increases in body and carcass weight and in the mass of the mixed-fiber gastrocnemius/plantaris and tibialis anterior muscles, but there were no increases in the slow-twitch soleus muscles. A similar growth response was seen when clenbuterol was given orally at a dose of only 97 micrograms/day, with an additional response seen in soleus muscle at 1.9 mg/day. Thus clenbuterol was more potent than salmeterol when given by this route of administration. When the drugs were infused by osmotic minipump, both salmeterol (130 micrograms/day) and clenbuterol (100 micrograms/day) caused increases in body weight gain and in the weights of the mixed-fiber muscles, with the most dramatic effect of infusion being to greatly increase the anabolic effect of salmeterol in soleus muscle. A single intraperitoneal injection of salmeterol (53 micrograms) or clenbuterol (40 micrograms) caused a similar rapid increase in the concentration of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate in gastrocnemius muscle. These results indicate that the potency of salmeterol in vivo is dependent on its route of administration and that slow-twitch muscles are less sensitive than mixed-fiber muscles to the anabolic effects of beta 2-adrenoceptor agonists.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Central Queensland, Rockhampton, Australia.
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Pegg
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Sillence
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000420:Albuterol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001066:Appetite / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D002976:Clenbuterol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D007260:Infusion Pumps; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D009132:Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000068299:Salmeterol Xinafoate
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D000068299:Salmeterol Xinafoate; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D000420:Albuterol; D002976:Clenbuterol