OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANGLION-STIMULATING ACTION OF ANGIOTENSIN AND BRADYKININ

¹ Department of Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts

Contractions of the nictitating membrane of the spinal cat were elicited by intraarterial injections of angiotensin and bradykinin to the superior cervical ganglion. The ganglionic effects of the two polypeptides were found to be similar to those of other non-nicotinic agents. 1) A preceding period of preganglionic stimulation facilitated ganglionic responses to the polypeptides. 2) Intravenous injections of cocaine and morphine antagonized the effects of the polypeptides on ganglia. 3) Depolarization of ganglia by nicotine abolished ganglionic responses to both polypeptides. However, during the late, non-depolarizing phase of the block by nicotine, there was facilitation of ganglionic responses to angiotensin, while responses to bradykinin were reduced. Subsequent intravenous injections of hexamethonium restored ganglionic responses to both polypeptides to normal. Although there are minor differences in the actions of angiotensin and bradykinin, both agents appear to belong to the group of non-nicotinic ganglion-stimulating agents.

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