[On the effect of a beta-blocking agent (propranolol) on the turnover of free fatty acids and the incorporation of free fatty acids into plasma triglycerides in man]

Effect of chronic treatment of propranolol on lipid metabolism in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR)

The effects of propranolol on lipid metabolism were studied in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Male SHR and corresponding Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) were used at 5 weeks of age. The SHR were given 10 mg/kg/day of dl-propranolol . HCl by gavage for 10 weeks. Body weight gain in untreated SHR and propranolol-treated SHR (SHR-P) groups were low, as compared with those of the WKY group. Total cholesterol, phospholipid and total lipid of the serum and liver in the SHR-P group were higher than in the SHR group. In the early weeks of treatment, serum triglyceride and non-esterified fatty acid levels in the SHR-P group were slightly lower than those in the SHR group. Aortic lipid levels in the SHR-P group were lower than those in the SHR group. During the later weeks of treatment, blood glucose level in the SHR-P group was higher than in the SHR group. The serum immunoreactive insulin value in the SHR-P group was slightly lower than in the SHR group. These results may suggest that propranolol inhibits hormone-sensitive lipase activity in the early weeks of treatment and influences cholesterol biosynthesis and/or catabolism.

Effect of chronic administration of propranolol on lipoprotein composition

Chronic effects of propranolol on plasma lipids and lipoprotein composition were examined in ten patients who had previous strokes and normal plasma lipids. Although plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol were not affected by propranolol, a slight decrease of free cholesterol and phospholipids and a significant increase of free fatty acids were observed in the eighth week of propranolol treatment. Reciprocal changes were observed in lipoprotein composition; these were an increase in lipids of very low-density lipoprotein and a decrease in lipids of both low-density and high-density lipoproteins. Postheparin lipolytic activity was significantly suppressed by the administration of propranolol. Inhibition of lipoprotein lipase by propranolol was considered to have played a role in the reciprocal changes of lipoprotein composition.

Cardiac actions in the dog of a new antagonist of adrenergic excitation which does not produce competitive blockade of adrenoceptors

1. The cardiac actions of amiodarone, a benzofuran derivative used in the treatment of angina pectoris, have been compared with those of (+/-)-propranolol in anaesthetized dogs.2. After three successive intravenous injections of propranolol, 0.5 mg/kg, had reduced the heart rate by 25%, a fourth dose had no further negative chronotropic action, but amiodarone, 10 mg/kg intravenously, at this point reduced the heart rate by 23%.3. Amiodarone, 10 mg/kg intravenously, reduced, but did not abolish, cardiac responses to isoprenaline, 2 mug/kg intravenously. Subsequent successive injections of 10 mg/kg of amiodarone did not further block the responses to isoprenaline, but propranolol, 1 mg/kg intravenously, abolished them.4. Amiodarone reduced cardiac chronotropic and inotropic responses to glucagon, which were not affected by propranolol.5. Cardiac output was increased 5 min after amiodarone, 10 mg/kg intravenously, but at 10 min and thereafter it did not differ from control values. Propranolol, 1 mg/kg intravenously, reduced cardiac output by 17% at 5 min, and by 30% after 30 min.6. From this and other evidence which is discussed, it is concluded that the cardiac actions of amiodarone are not produced by competitive blockade of beta-adrenoceptors.