Skip to main content
PMC home page
British Journal of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy logoLink to British Journal of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy
. 1962 Feb;18(1):138–149. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1962.tb01157.x

Depletion and replacement of the adrenaline and noradrenaline contents of the rat adrenal gland, following treatment with reserpine

B A Callingham, Monica Mann
PMCID: PMC1482181  PMID: 13875798

Abstract

The effect of reserpine on the adrenaline and noradrenaline contents of rat adrenal glands has been studied. Given subcutaneously to male albino Wistar rats in 3 daily doses of 1 mg/kg, it caused, 24 hr after the final dose, a similar percentage loss of adrenaline and noradrenaline of approximately 50%. Subsequently the adrenaline content slowly increased, until at 14 days from the begining of the experiment there was no significant difference between the reserpine-treated and the control glands. In contrast, the recovery of the noradrenaline content was rapid, exceeding the control value at 7 days by approximately 250%. This increased content of noradrenaline declined to the normal level by 21 days. The total amine content returned to normal by 7 days and remained at this level subsequently. The effect of re-depleting the glands of their amine content was investigated. It was found that re-depletion at 7 days caused a preferential release of noradrenaline, followed at 14 days by a peak of noradrenaline at least as high as that obtained following the initial depletion only. Re-depletion at 21 days caused an effect similar to that obtained initially. Denervation of the left adrenal gland did not alter the degree of depletion caused by reserpine, nor did it alter the subsequent replacement of the amines as compared with that in the innervated right gland.

Full text

PDF
145

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BRODIE B. B., OLIN J. S., KUNTZMAN R. G., SHORE P. A. Possible interrelationship between release of brain norepinephrine and serotonin by reserpine. Science. 1957 Jun 28;125(3261):1293–1294. doi: 10.1126/science.125.3261.1293. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BUTTERWORTH K. R., MANN M. The adrenaline and noradrenaline content of the adrenal gland of the cat following depletion by acetylcholine. Br J Pharmacol Chemother. 1957 Dec;12(4):415–421. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1957.tb00158.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. CAMANNI F., LOSANA O., MOLINATTI G. M. Selective depletion of nor-adrenaline in the adrenal medulla of the rat after administration of reserpine (histochemical research). Experientia. 1958 Jun 15;14(6):199–201. doi: 10.1007/BF02159083. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. COUPLAND R. E. Strain sensitivity of albino rats to reserpine. Nature. 1958 Mar 29;181(4613):930–931. doi: 10.1038/181930a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. COUPLAND R. E. Synthesis and storage of pressor amines in adrenal medullary grafts. J Endocrinol. 1959 Mar;18(2):162–164. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0180162. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. COUPLAND R. E. The catechol amine content of the adrenal medulla of the rat following reserpine-induced depletion. J Endocrinol. 1959 Mar;18(2):154–161. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0180154. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. COUPLAND R. E. The effects of insulin, reserpine and choline 2:6-xylylether bromide on the adrenal medulla and on medullary autografts in the rat. J Endocrinol. 1958 Jul;17(2):191–196. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.0170191. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. ERANKO O., HOPSU V. Effect of reserpine on the histochemistry and content of adrenaline and noradrenaline in the adrenal medulla of the rat and the mouse. Endocrinology. 1958 Jan;62(1):15–23. doi: 10.1210/endo-62-1-15. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. GREENBERG R., JEFFAY A. I., TOMAN J. E. Histological evidence for a neural role in the depletion of adrenal catecholamines by deserpidine and TM-10. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1960 Oct;130:119–125. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. HOLZBAUER M., VOGT M. Depression by reserpine of the noradrenaline concentration in the hypothalamus of the cat. J Neurochem. 1956 May;1(1):8–11. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1956.tb12048.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. KRONEBERG G., SCHUMANN H. J. Der Einfluss der Rauwolfia-Alkaloide Reserpin, Rescinnamin und Cansescin auf den Katecholamin-Gehalt des Nebennierenmarks. Arzneimittelforschung. 1957 Apr;7(4):279–280. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. KRONEBERG G., SCHUMANN H. J. Die Wirkung des Reserpins auf den Hormongehalt des Nebennierenmarks. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Exp Pathol Pharmakol. 1957;231(4):349–360. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. MIRKIN B. L. Catechol amine depletion in the rat's denervated adrenal gland following chronic administration of reserpine. Nature. 1958 Jul 12;182(4628):113–114. doi: 10.1038/182113a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. MUSCHOLL E., VOGT M. The action of reserpine on the peripheral sympathetic system. J Physiol. 1958 Apr 3;141(1):132–155. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1958.sp005961. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. PARRATT J. R., WEST G. B. Release of 5-hydroxytryptamine and histamine from tissues of the rat. J Physiol. 1957 Jul 11;137(2):179–192. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1957.sp005805. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. PLETSCHER A., SHORE P. A., BRODIE B. B. Serotonin release as a possible mechanism of reserpine action. Science. 1955 Aug 26;122(3165):374–375. doi: 10.1126/science.122.3165.374. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. STJARNE L., SCHAPIRO S. Effects of reserpine on secretion from the denervated adrenal medulla. Nature. 1959 Dec 26;184(Suppl 26):2023–2024. doi: 10.1038/1842023a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Vogt M. The effect of chronic administration of adrenaline on the suprarenal cortex and the comparison of this effect with that of hexoestrol. J Physiol. 1945 Jun 29;104(1):60–70. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1945.sp004107. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy are provided here courtesy of The British Pharmacological Society

RESOURCES