Effects of noradrenaline and metaraminol on isolated aortic strips and auricles obtained from untreated and reserpine-treated rabbits.

The isolated aortic strips of the untreated rabbits responded to noradrenaline in concentrations ranging from 20 to 160 ng/mL, whereas similar preparations from reserpine-treated animals responded to lower concentrations (from 2.5 to 10 ng/mL) and larger effects were produced by concentrations ranging from 20 to 160 ng/mL. Comparatively stronger concentrations (from 0.4 to 1.6 microgram/mL) of metaraminol were required to produce suitable contractile responses, which were not modified by reserpine pretreatment. On the isolated auricles obtained from untreated rabbits, noradrenaline was used in concentrations of 20 and 80 ng/mL, but these concentrations were reduced to 2.5 and 10 ngmL in the case of tissues obtained from reserpinized rabbits. Comparatively stronger (0.2 and 0.8 microgram/mL) concentrations of metaraminol were required to produce a stimulant effect on this preparation, and the sensitivity was not altered by reserpine pretreatment. These observations lead to the conclusions that though reserpine pretreatment produces a well-marked increase in the sensitivity of isolated rabbit aortic strips and auricles to noradrenaline, it does not modify the sensitivity of these preparations to metaraminol. Reserpine was used in 0.3 mg/kg doses injected subcutaneously for 3 successive days.