The effect of phosphodiesterase inhibitors on guinea-pig cardiac responses to histamine and isoprenaline

Analysis of competitive antagonism when this property occurs as part of a pharmacological resultant

In this paper, pharmacological resultant is defined as the net effect of a single compound resulting from the simultaneous expression of two or more specific actions. The principles of concentration-ratio analysis are extended to develop a method for detecting and quantifying competitive antagonism when this property is a component of a pharmacological resultant. The method is general to the extent that it allows analysis of competitive antagonism in combination with all types of post-receptor intervention. Essentially it depends on the altered expression of competition by a reference antagonist. It incorporates tests for validating its application and it is independent of agonist concentration-effect curve shape: in these respects the method is analogous to Schild plot-analysis of simple competition. The methodology for the practical application of the analysis is exemplified by studying the net effect of a combination of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor (isobutylmethylxanthine) and histamine H2-receptor antagonist (metiamide) on histamine-stimulated tachycardia in guinea-pig, isolated, right atrium. Cimetidine was used as the reference antagonist. The equation used in this analysis is similar in form to one recently described by Hughes & Mackay (1985) to elucidate the situation when competitive antagonism occurs in combination with functional interactions. The relation between their method and the present analysis is discussed.

Further characterization of the guinea pig left atrial tension response to histamine by use of selective agonists

1. The responses of guinea pig left atrial tension and right atrial rate to histamine receptor agonists and histamine were compared. 2. Single doses of histamine and another non-selective agonist, N,N-dimethylhistamine, produced biophasic inotropic responses, with an initial increase in tension and a secondary sustained tension increase separated by a negative inotropic component. 3. Selective H1-receptor agonists -- 2-methylhistamine, 3-methylhistamine and 2-pyridylethylamine (2-PEA) -- also exhibited biphasic inotropic responses. 2-PEA did so only after blockade with propranolol or in atria from reserpine-pretreated animals, indicating an additional release of endogenous catecholamines which masked the biophasic response. 4. Selective H2-receptor agonists -- 4-methylhistamine and dimaprit -- failed to produce biphasic responses except at high concentrations only in the case of 4-methylhistamine. 5. The biophasic responses were converted to monophasic responses by mepyramine. This was a result of antagonism of the initial positive component and the secondary negative component which were therefore mediated via H1-receptors. The production of a biphasic inotropic response therefore depends upon these two components which were exhibited preferentially by the H1-receptor-selective agonists.