The action of substances which block sympathetic postganglionic nervous transmission

THE SYMPATHETIC MECHANISM IN THE ISOLATED PULMONARY ARTERY OF THE RABBIT

The nature of postganglionic sympathetic nervous transmission to vascular muscle in vitro was studied using the recurrent cardiac nerve-pulmonary artery preparation of the rabbit. Experiments, similar to those which in other tissues have provided evidence to support a role for acetylcholine at the sympathetic postganglionic nerve-effector cell junction, were carried out. The contractile response of the isolated artery to acetylcholine was blocked completely by atropine. High concentrations of acetylcholine and of hemicholinium had no effect on the contractile response to sympathetic nerve stimulation. Physostigmine, atropine and hemicholinium were without influence on the relationship between nerve stimulus frequency and response. Yohimbine, bretylium and reserpine blocked completely the response to nerve stimulation but did not affect that to applied acetylcholine. These results support the view that transmission in this preparation at the sympathetic postganglionic nerve-effector cell junction is mediated by an adrenaline-like transmitter and provide no evidence for the view that acetylcholne is involved at this site.

THE ADRENERGIC-NEURONE BLOCKING ACTION OF SOME COUMARAN COMPOUNDS

Ethyldimethyl(7-methylcoumaran-3-yl)ammonium iodide (SK&F 90,109) and its guanidine analogue [N-(7-methylcoumaran-3-yl)guanidine nitrate] (SK&F 90,238) abolish the effects of adrenergic nerve stimulation in cats, as do xylocholine and bretylium. SK&F 90,109 has slight sympathomimetic actions; these are less marked than in SK&F 90,238. Large doses of SK&F 90,109 have an action, dependent on local noradrenaline stores, that delays the appearance of adrenergic-neurone blockade in conscious cats. Responses to adrenaline are, in general, enhanced by each drug, but SK&F 90,238 transiently antagonizes tachycardia induced by adrenaline and isoprenaline. Both drugs inhibit the release of noradrenaline from the spleen during splenic nerve stimulation, but the release of catechol amines from the adrenal glands, in response to electrical or chemical stimulation, is unimpaired. In contrast to the prolonged adrenergic-neurone blocking action, any inhibition of the effects of cholinergic nerve stimulation is transient. Large intravenous doses produce neuromuscular blockade. The compounds have a slight central depressant action. In contrast to reserpine and guanethidine the noradrenaline content of rat hearts is not appreciably lowered 24 hr after a single dose of either drug. Unlike xylocholine they are not local anaesthetics. Related compounds also block the effects of adrenergic-nerve stimulation. The possible modes of action of these drugs are discussed.

THE SYMPATHETIC POSTGANGLIONIC FIBRE AND THE BLOCK BY BRETYLIUM; THE BLOCK PREVENTED BY HEXAMETHONIUM AND IMITATED BY MECAMYLAMINE

Acetylcholine, in the presence of atropine, has an action like that of sympathetic stimulation. When injected into the splenic artery it causes contraction of the spleen, but this action is blocked by hexamethonium; stimulation of the splenic nerves, however, is still effective. Thus hexamethonium distinguishes between sympathetic nerve stimulation and the action of acetylcholine. If bretylium is used instead of hexamethonium, there is no such distinction, for bretylium blocks the response to nerve stimulation as well as that to acetylcholine. It appeared that hexamethonium might block the action of acetylcholine by preventing its entry into the sympathetic fibre. Acetylcholine has some structural similarity to bretylium, since acetylcholine is a derivative of trimethylammonium and bretylium is a derivative of dimethylethylammonium. It has been found that hexamethonium, pentolinium and hemicholinium (HC-3), which are all bis-quaternary compounds, block the action of bretylium, presumably by preventing its entry into the fibre. Consistent with the view that ability to enter the fibre is important is the observation that mecamylamine and pempidine, which are ganglion-blocking agents, but not either mono- or bis-quaternary compounds, often abolish the response to stimulation of the sympathetic postganglionic fibre.

The relationship of the renal vascular activity of angiotensin II to the autonomic nervous system

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