title: Cardiovascular effects of central administration of clonidine in conscious cats.
abstract: The effects on arterial blood pressure and heart rate after an intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of clonidine were investigated using conscious normotensive cats. Injection of clonidine (5-10 microg; 5 microl; i.c.v.) elicited a decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) in a dose-dependent manner. The highest dose of 10 microg of clonidine decreased MAP and HR by 39 +/- 3 mmHg and 74 +/- 5 b.p.m., respectively (n = 7). Pretreatment with yohimbine, the alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist (8 microg; 5 microl; i.c.v.) blocked the cardiovascular responses to a subsequent i.c.v. injection of 10 microg clonidine (n = 7). Furthermore, preadministration of cimetidine (100 microg; 5 microl; i.c.v.), the H2 histamine receptor antagonist with imidazoline receptor activating properties, prevented the decreases in MAP and HR to a subsequent i.c.v. injection of 10 microg clonidine (n = 7). By contrast, pretreatment with the specific I1 imidazoline receptor blocker, efaroxan (100-500 microg; 5 microl; i.c.v.), failed to inhibit the cardiovascular effects of an i.c.v. administration of 10 microg clonidine (n = 7). These results suggest that the effects of centrally administered clonidine on MAP and HR are probably not mediated through activation of the I1 subtype of imidazoline receptors in conscious cats. However, the cardiovascular effects elicited by i.c.v. administration of clonidine appear to result from stimulation of central alpha2-adrenergic or the H2 histaminergic-like receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Harry S. Moss Heart Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75235-9034, USA. aally@mailbox.une.edu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ally
mesh_terms: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000494:pharmacology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000294:innervation*; D002415:Cats; D002927:Cimetidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003000:Clonidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D003243:Consciousness; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005070:Evans Blue; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D015016:Yohimbine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001572:Benzofurans; D004396:Coloring Agents; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists; D007093:Imidazoles; D015016:Yohimbine; D005070:Evans Blue; D002927:Cimetidine; C062597:efaroxan; D003000:Clonidine