EFFECTS OF ADRENERGIC BLOCKING AGENTS ON EPINEPHRINE-AND 3', 5'-AMP-INDUCED RESPONSES IN THE PERFUSED RAT LIVER

¹ Department of Pharmacology, The University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, Wisconsin

The relationship of glucose and cation fluxes following epinephrine administration has been studied extensively in recent years. In the present study the isolated perfused rat liver was employed. This technique permitted intraportal infusions of epinephrine or the cyclic nucleotide, 3', 5'-AMP, with and without previous treatment with the alpha-and beta- adrenergic blocking agents, dihydroergotamine and dichloroisoproterenol, followed by the subsequent measurement of blood flow rate and blood-glucose and blood-potassium concentrations in the hepatic efferent fluid. Epinephrine and 3', 5'-AMP caused hyperglycemia and hypokalemia. Pretreatment with dihydroergotamine prevented these metabolic responses and pretreatment with dichloroisoproterenol prevented epinephrine-induced metabolic changes; however, this agent was without effect on the cyclic nucleotide-induced responses. Epinephrine-induced vasoconstriction was blocked by pretreatment with dihydroergotamine but not by dichloroisoproterenol. After infusion of 3', 5'-AMP there was no demonstrable change in rate of blood flow.

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