Drug interaction with gamma-aminobutyric acid/benzodiazepine receptors at the ventral surface of the medulla results in pronounced changes in cardiorespiratory activity.

Studies were carried out in chloralose-anesthetized cats while monitoring respiratory (tidal volume and respiratory rate) and cardiovascular (arterial pressure and heart rate) activity. Midazolam applied bilaterally to the intermediate area of the ventral surface of the medulla in doses of 0.75, 7.5 and 75 micrograms/side reduced tidal volume by -6 +/- 3, -10 +/- 1 and -11 +/- 1 ml, respectively. A dose of 250 micrograms/side produced apnea in each animal tested. Corresponding changes in arterial pressure were -35 +/- 9, -44 +/- 6, -43 +/- 9 and -64 +/- 17 mm Hg, respectively. Larger doses of chlordiazepoxide (e.g., 1000 micrograms/side) were required to produce similar effects. Intravenous administration of midazolam in doses of 1.5 to 150 micrograms had no significant effect on cardiorespiratory activity. However, larger doses of midazolam given i.v. produced cardiorespiratory depression that was similar to that observed with centrally applied drug. Pretreatment or treatment with centrally applied flumazenil or bicuculline counteracted the cardiorespiratory effects of centrally applied midazolam. Most importantly, ventral surface application of flumazenil counteracted the cardiorespiratory depressant effects of i.v. midazolam. Central administration of ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate produced cardiorespiratory effects opposite to those seen with midazolam, and these stimulatory effects were also counteracted by centrally applied flumazenil. These results indicate that alterations in cardiorespiratory activity can be produced by drugs interacting with gamma-aminobutyric acid/benzodiazepine receptors at the ventral surface of the medulla.

Cardiorespiratory effects produced by activation of cholinergic muscarinic receptors on the ventral surface of the medulla.

Our purpose was to examine the influence of inhibition of cholinesterase at the ventral surface of the medulla on cardiorespiratory activity in the chloralose-anesthetized cat. Administration of the anticholinesterase agent, diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) to areas responding to acetylcholine (i.e., rostral and caudal chemosensitive areas of the ventral surface of the medulla) in doses ranging from 12.5 to 50 micrograms bilaterally had minimal effects on cardiorespiratory activity. However, similar doses applied to the intermediate area of the ventral surface of the medulla produced an increase in tidal volume and hypotension. For example, a dose of 12.5 micrograms increased tidal volume by 14 +/- 3 ml (P greater than .05). Similar responses were seen with higher doses of DFP; in addition, respiratory depression (apnea) also occurred. This depression was characterized by a slowing in respiratory rate. The organophosphate compound, soman, in doses of 0.25 and 0.5 micrograms produced effects similar to those seen with DFP with the exception that an increase in respiratory rate was observed before the decrease in respiratory rate occurred. In addition, a greater degree of hypotension was observed with soman as compared to DFP. Findings comparable to those obtained with DFP were produced by the muscarinic receptor agonist, oxotremorine (0.077-10 micrograms). The effects of DFP, soman and oxotremorine were counteracted by locally applied atropine. In addition, measurements of acetylcholinesterase activity taken from the rostral, intermediate and caudal areas indicate a relatively low activity at the rostral area but a relatively high activity at the intermediate area.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Experimental studies on the neurocardiovascular effects of urapidil.

The major purpose of our study was to determine whether urapidil acts in the central nervous system (CNS) to lower arterial blood pressure. Once demonstrating a CNS antihypertensive action of urapidil we further set out to determine: (1) the relative role of a CNS antihypertensive action to the total antihypertensive effect of urapidil; (2) the brain site of action for the antihypertensive effect of urapidil; and, (3) the receptor mechanism whereby urapidil acts in the CNS to lower arterial blood pressure. Studies were conducted in chloralose-anaesthetised cats, and arterial blood pressure and heart rate were monitored. Drugs were administered intravenously (IV), into the cerebral ventricles (ICV), topically by application to the ventral surface of the medulla and by microinjection into specific nuclei. Receptor binding studies were also conducted using rat cerebral cortex homogenates. We found that injection of urapidil into the fourth ventricle decreased arterial pressure. Local application of urapidil to the ventral medullary surface also decreased arterial blood pressure. Microinjection of urapidil into one of the nuclei associated with the ventral surface of the medulla, the rostral part of the nucleus reticularis lateralis (rLRN), produced a similar degree of antihypertensive effect. The effect of urapidil was not altered by alpha 1-receptor blockade. Instead, the urapidil effect resembled that produced by drugs that stimulate serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine)-1A receptors (B695-40 and 8-OH-DPAT). Furthermore, urapidil was found to have the highest potency for binding to serotonin-1A receptor sites (as compared to alpha 1- and alpha 2-receptor sites). Urapidil administered IV was shown to lower arterial blood pressure in part by blocking peripheral alpha 1-adrenoceptors but also, in high doses, by acting in the CNS to decrease central sympathetic outflow. These data indicate that urapidil is a unique drug, possessing both peripheral and CNS actions which contribute to its antihypertensive effect. Urapidil may also be unique in that its central action may involve activation of serotonin-1A receptors.

Hypotensive effect of urapidil: CNS site and relative contribution.

The purposes of our study were to determine the contribution of the CNS to the hypotensive effect of urapidil in the cat and the specific brain site of action of this agent. For the first purpose, urapidil was studied on preganglionic sympathetic nerve activity, arterial pressure, and heart rate. Three systemic bolus doses of urapidil were administered (0.22, 0.44, and 1.3 mg/kg). All three doses lowered arterial pressure, and the highest dose produced a significant decrease in sympathetic nerve discharge in five of six animals studied. The lower two doses had no significant effect on sympathetic activity, and none of the doses altered heart rate. These results suggest that a high i.v. dose of urapidil is required to evoke hypotension by an action in the central nervous system (CNS). For the second purpose, urapidil was applied bilaterally to the intermediate area of the ventral surface of the medulla in doses of 25 and 50 micrograms. These doses caused decreases in arterial pressure of -6.1 +/- 2.2 (p less than 0.05) and -21.0 +/- 5.9 (p less than 0.05) mm Hg, respectively, but no change in heart rate. In addition, respiratory stimulation also occurred with the higher dose as respiratory minute volume increased by 81 +/- 14 ml/min (p less than 0.05). The highest dose of urapidil had no effect on arterial pressure when applied to other chemosensitive areas of the ventral surface of the brain. Comparative studies with prazosin (10 micrograms applied bilaterally to the intermediate area) indicated no hypotensive effect of this alpha 1-adrenoceptor blocking agent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Comparative cardiorespiratory effects produced by taurine and glycine applied to the ventral surface of the medulla.

The purpose of our study was to determine whether taurine, like other naturally occurring central nervous system amino acid neurotransmitters (e.g., gamma-aminobutyric acid and glycine), act at the ventral surface of the medulla to influence cardiorespiratory activity. This was accomplished by monitoring cardiorespiratory activity. This was accomplished by monitoring cardiorespiratory activity in chloralose-anesthetized cats and then applying several doses of taurine locally to the ventral medullary surface chemosensitive areas. We found that 2 and 4 mumol of taurine applied to the intermediate area of the ventral surface produced cardiorespiratory depression, whereas taurine, in a similar dose range, produced only respiratory depression when applied to the rostral area. In contrast, taurine applied to the caudal area had no cardiorespiratory effects. Similar experiments with glycine revealed that this inhibitory amino acid elicited a similar pattern of cardiorespiratory depression as taurine. Furthermore, strychnine, an antagonist of glycine, counteracted the cardiorespiratory depressant effects of both taurine and glycine effectively. Pretreatment with strychnine prevented most of the cardiorespiratory depressant effects of taurine and glycine. 6-Aminomethyl-3-methyl-4H-1, 2,4-benzothiadiazine-1,1-dixoide, a putative antagonist of taurine, had antagonistic effects similar to those of strychnine in both treatment and pretreatment studies. 6-Aminomethyl-3-methyl-4H-1,2,4-benzothiadiazine-1,1-dioxide, per se, increased tidal volume when applied to the intermediate area; strychnine had no effect. These results indicate that taurine acts at the chemosensitive areas on the ventral surface of the medulla to produce cardiorespiratory depression, and these effects are due to an interaction of taurine with receptors similar to, but probably not identical with, glycine receptors.