[Differentiation of the stimulating action of adrenaline and noradrenaline on oxygen consumption of the parotid gland in the rat].

Epinephrine and norepinephrine, but not isoproterenol, stimulated the consumption of oxygen in rat parotid gland slices in a dose dependent manner. Their actions were abolished by phentolamine but propranolol had no effect. The response to epinephrine was selectively blocked by yohimbine, whereas the response to norepinephrine was inhibited by prazosin. Nifedipine abolished the action of epinephrine but had no effect on norepinephrine. The findings suggest that epinephrine enhanced oxygen consumption in the parotid gland slices by the activation of the calcium dependent alpha-2-adrenoreceptors while the response to norepinephrine was mediated by the alpha-1-receptors.