Effects of nicotine on regional blood flow in the olfactory bulb in rats.
Effects of nicotine on blood flow in the olfactory bulb were examined in anesthetized rats. Nicotine administered intravenously at 100 microg/kg increased regional blood flow in the olfactory bulb, irrespective of changes in systemic arterial pressure. Nicotine administered locally into the internal carotid artery at 10 microg increased blood flow, without changing arterial pressure; this response was abolished by hexamethonium. These results indicate that nicotine produces vasodilatation in the olfactory bulb via activation of nicotinic receptors located close to the olfactory bulb. Nicotine may be of therapeutic value in improving blood flow in the olfactory bulb.
Shiba
Kanako
K
Department of the Autonomic Nervous System, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan.
Machida
Takeo
T
Uchida
Sae
S
Hotta
Harumi
H
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018738:Hexamethonium / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D018738:Hexamethonium; D009538:Nicotine