Abstract

The effect of i.v. administration of the novel, p.o. active inotropic prodrug, ibopamine, on canine renal vascular dopamine DA-1 receptors was determined in the anesthetized dog. These effects were compared with those produced by the active form of ibopamine, epinine, and with the standard DA-1 receptor agonists, dopamine and fenoldopam. After pretreatment of pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs with phenoxybenzamine (10 mg/kg i.v.) and propranolol (2 mg/kg i.v.) to block alpha and beta adrenoceptor-mediated effects, respectively, the renal blood flow responses to i.v. administration of ibopamine, epinine, dopamine and fenoldopam were determined before and after selective blockade of DA-1 receptors by i.v. infusion of SK&F R-83566 (0.5 microgram/kg/min). Under control conditions, ibopamine produced a dose-dependent increase in renal blood flow as a result of renal vasodilation (i.e., decrease in renal vascular resistance), and was approximately 10-fold less potent than epinine in this respect. Epinine elicited qualitatively similar renal hemodynamic changes to ibopamine with the exception of potency. Dopamine was approximately equipotent with epinine as a renal vasodilator, and both compounds were 10-fold less potent than fenoldopam. Concurrent with the renal vasodilation produced by all four compounds, there was a reduction in mean arterial blood pressure and total peripheral vascular resistance. After the administration of SK&F R-83566, the renal vasodilator responses to fenoldopam were antagonized markedly with an approximate 30-fold rightward shift in the log dose-response curve, whereas the renal vasodilator responses to dopamine were abolished completely and converted into small vasoconstrictor responses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)