title: Human epididymal and prostatic tracts of vas deferens: different contraction response to noradrenaline stimulation in isolated organ bath assay.
abstract: In the present study epididymal and prostatic portions of human vas deferens were separately isolated and stimulated with exogenous noradrenaline to study their contractile properties. The results displayed that the epididymal tract produced a phasic-tonic response, while the prostatic strip produced only a phasic response suggesting a different functional role of each vas deferens segment. Moreover, it has been verified if alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonists doxazosin, alphuzosin and terazosin could differently block the noradrenaline response in each segment. Doxazosin, the most potent antagonist, displayed similar potency in epididymal and prostatic tract (pA(2)=8.51 and 8.42, respectively). Analogously, alphuzosin, although less potent than doxazosin, displayed in the same tracts a superimposed potency (pA(2)=7.25 and 7.30, respectively). In contrast with doxazosin and alphuzosin, terazosin displayed higher potency in blocking the contractile response in prostatic tract (pA(2)=7.67) than in epididymal segment (pA(2)=6.43). These results showed that alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonists doxazosin and alphuzosin, although with a different potency, did not discriminate between epididymal and prostatic segment while terazosin showed high potency in prostatic tract and only a moderate activity in epididymal section. Moreover, the biological model employed in our experiments could be a valid screening method to test the potential interferences of drugs indicated for bladder outlet obstruction with the peristaltic activity or the global tone of the human vas deferens.
authors: Dipartimento Farmacochimico, Facoltá di Farmacia, Università degli Studi di Bari, via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy. colabufo@farmchim.uniba.it
authors: Nicola A
authors: NA
authors: Colabufo
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Pagliarulo
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Berardi
authors: Marialessandra
authors: M
authors: Contino
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Perrone
authors: Mauro
authors: M
authors: Niso
authors: Giancarlo
authors: G
authors: Albo
authors: Gaetano
authors: G
authors: de Rienzo
authors: Arcangelo
authors: A
authors: Pagliarulo
mesh_terms: D058646:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Agonists; D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000368:Aged; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D017292:Doxazosin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004822:Epididymis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000187:drug effects*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011224:Prazosin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects*; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D058646:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Agonists; D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D011799:Quinazolines; C041226:Terazosin; C047638:alfuzosin; D017292:Doxazosin; D009638:Norepinephrine; D011224:Prazosin