THE ACTION OF TETRAETHYLAMMONIUM ION ON THE MAMMALIAN CIRCULATION

¹ Department of Pharmacology, Harrard Medical School, Boston

The actions of tetraethylammonium bromide upon the circulatory system of the cat and dog have been described and analyzed. Over a wide range of doses (0.1 to 10 mgm. per kgm.). intravenous injections of this material produce falls of arterial pressure whose magnitude is a function of the dose and which last several minutes. The heart rate is usually diminished moderately, and this effect is absent if the cardiac innervation is severed.

The fall of arterial pressure is shown not to depend upon actions on tile heart, the vascular smooth muscle, or the medullary vasomotor center. It results from a block in the ganglia in the efferent pathway of the sympathetic vasoconstrictor nerves. This ganglionic blocking action has been demonstrated in the superior cervical ganglion, the stellate ganglion, and the ganglia of the cardio-inhibitory fibers of the vagus.

The ganglionic blocking action of tetraethylammonium ion is shown to be its most prominent effect. Side effects are absent with all but the largest doses of this substance.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. Janowitz and M. I. Grossman Blocking Action of Tetraethylammonium on Axon Reflexes in the Human Skin Science, January 7, 1949; 109(2819): 16 - 16. [PDF]