Comparative effects of rauwolscine, prazosin, and phentolamine on blood pressure and cardiac output in anesthetized rats.

The endogenous role of the alpha-adrenergic system in the maintenance of mean arterial pressure (MAP), total peripheral resistance (TPR), cardiac output (CO) and its distribution, and plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine release was investigated by the administration of selective alpha-adrenoceptor antagonists to halothane-anesthetized rats. The blockade of alpha 1-, alpha 2-, and both alpha 1- and alpha 2-receptors was accomplished by i.v. infusions of prazosin, rauwolscine, and phentolamine, respectively. The microsphere technique was used for the determination of CO and its distribution. Since the infusions of the three antagonists caused similar decreases of MAP and heart rate, the results suggest that postjunctional alpha 1- and alpha 2-receptors are both important in the control of MAP. During the infusion of prazosin, TPR was decreased but CO was not changed. In contrast, CO was decreased but TPR was not changed during the infusions of rauwolscine and phentolamine. Thus, CO was reduced after the blockade of alpha 2- but not alpha 1-receptors. All three antagonists caused an increase in percent distribution of CO to the lungs and muscle, suggesting that the sympathetic nervous system plays the greatest vasoconstrictor influence in the lungs and muscle via stimulations of both subtypes of alpha-adrenoceptors. The administration of either prazosin or rauwolscine caused little change in plasma catecholamine levels. In contrast, phentolamine caused large increases in both epinephrine and norepinephrine levels. Therefore catecholamine release was only increased after concurrent blockade of both alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors.