Effect of arterial chemoreceptor stimulation with almitrine bismesylate on plasma renin activity, aldosterone, ACTH and cortisol in anaesthetized, artificially ventilated cats.

1. Changes in plasma renin activity (PRA) and in the plasma concentration of aldosterone, adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol in response to an intravenous infusion of the chemoreceptor stimulant almitrine bismesylate (0.2 mg/kg) were studied in two groups of anaesthetized, paralysed and constantly ventilated cats. In one group, the peripheral arterial chemoreceptors remained innervated, whereas in the other they were denervated by bilateral cervical vagotomy and section of the carotid sinus nerves. 2. Animals with innervated chemoreceptors (n = 16) reacted to almitrine bismesylate with a significant (P <0.05) increase in both ACTH and cortisol. These responses were not present in cats in which the peripheral arterial chemoreceptors had been surgically denervated (n = 16). 3. Plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone increased with time during experiments on both the chemoreceptor-intact and chemoreceptor-denervated cats. Almitrine did not affect the time course of the rise in PRA and plasma aldosterone in either group of animals. 4. These data indicate that, under the conditions of our experiments, almitrine induced arterial chemoreceptor reflex mechanisms stimulate ACTH and cortisol release, but has no chemoreceptor-dependent influence on PRA or plasma aldosterone.