[Effect of ganglionic blockade and subsequent i.v. infusion of catecholamines and angiotensin II on the formation and transport of lymph. Studies in anesthesized dogs and a review of the literature].

The effect of ganglionic blockade (GB) and subsequent i.v. infusion of adrenaline (AD), noradrenaline (NA), isoproterenol (IP), and angiotensin II (AII) on thoracic duct lymph flow (LF) and transcapillary escape rate of plasma proteins (FER) was studied in anaesthetized (Nembutal), paralyzed (pancuronium), and artificially ventilated dogs. The carotid artery, the external jugular vein, and the thoracic duct were cannulated. Following a control period, GB was performed by pentolinium tartrate and thereafter the other drugs were infused in a random sequence for 30-60 min with 1 h intervals. Mean arterial blood pressure was decreased from 125 to 90 mmHg by GB, it was increased by 36 mmHg by AD, 41 mmHg by NA, and 44 mmHg by AII, and was decreased by 27 mmHg by IP. LF was about 38 microliter/min/kg before GB and was not changed systematically by GB, because either the sympathetic tone was rather weak or the intrinsic contractions and the tone of lymphatics were reduced by GB. FER was not affected by GB. LF increased by 9 microliter/min/kg (control 36 microliter/min/kg) during AII infusion, probably due to increased lymph formation; the latter can be concluded from the 68% increase in FER. NA raised LF by 15 microliter/min/kg (control 44 microliter/min/kg) probably due to alpha-adrenergic stimulation of the intrinsic contractions of lymphatics; lymph formation seemed not to be affected because FER was not changed systematically. AD enhanced LF by 29 microliters/min/kg (control 39 microliters/min/kg).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)