title: Effect of moxonidine on blood pressure and sympathetic tone in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats.
abstract: The effects of moxonidine on blood pressure, heart rate and sympathetic tone were studied in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats. Intravenous moxonidine (80 nmol) transiently increased blood pressure without affecting heart rate or splanchnic nerve activity. Moxonidine (20-80 nmol) given into the fourth cerebral ventricle dose-dependently lowered mean arterial pressure, heart rate and sympathetic outflow (maximally by 60 +/- 3 mm Hg, 148 +/- 10 beats min(-1) and 15 +/- 3 microV). Moxonidine was more effective by this route than after the injection into the lateral ventricle. Clonidine (20-80 nmol) produced an initial pressor response after both intracerebroventricular routes of administration. A decrease in blood pressure was observed only when clonidine was given into the fourth ventricle. Clonidine decreased heart rate and splanchnic nerve activity similarly like moxonidine when the substances were given into the fourth ventricle. The data imply that the hypotensive effect of moxonidine is related to central sympathoinhibition. The main site of this action appears to be in the brainstem region.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedicine, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Helsinki, Finland. marja-leena.nurminen@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Nurminen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Culman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haass
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Unger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood; D003000:Clonidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D013153:Splanchnic Nerves / Q000187:drug effects; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002395:Catecholamines; D007093:Imidazoles; C043482:moxonidine; D003000:Clonidine