PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - C. N. Gillis TI - THE EFFECT OF ACUTE AND CHRONIC ADMINISTRATION OF RESERPINE ON THE RESPIRATION OF RAT AORTA DP - 1959 Dec 01 TA - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics PG - 265--267 VI - 127 IP - 4 4099 - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/127/4/265.short 4100 - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/127/4/265.full SO - J Pharmacol Exp Ther1959 Dec 01; 127 AB - The respiration of isolated rat aorta, measured by the Warburg direct technique, was unaffected by the daily administration of reserpine in doses of 0.1 mg/kg for 10 days or 1.0 mg/kg 20 hours before sacrifice. Aortic respiration was depressed, however, after 10 daily doses of 0.5 mg/kg or 5.0 mg/kg reserpine either 20 hours or 4 hours before measurement. The reduced aortic QO2 following the higher chronic dose may be explained by a general depression of the metabolism of the animals. Such an explanation is less acceptable in the case of rats treated with the higher acute dose, either 20 or 4 hours before killing. It is suggested therefore, that in these cases, the effect of reserpine on aortic respiration is more specific. These findings, together with previous observations may point to an effect of reserpine on oxidative metabolism in aortic smooth muscle.