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British Journal of Pharmacology logoLink to British Journal of Pharmacology
. 1971 Oct;43(2):287–294.

Role of adrenergic neurone blockade in the hypotensive action of propranolol

Sarah Eliash, Marta Weinstock
PMCID: PMC1665837  PMID: 4400571

Abstract

1. Propranolol, in doses of 25-100 μg/kg, blocks contractions of the nictitating membrane to nerve stimulation but not to injected noradrenaline.

2. This adrenergic neurone blocking action of propranolol is antagonized by amphetamine.

3. It is also reversed by raising the dose of propranolol to amounts exceeding 0·5 mg/kg.

4. Still larger amounts potentiate the responses of the nictitating membrane to both submaximal stimulation of the cervical sympathetic nerve and to injected noradrenaline.

5. The (+) isomer of propranolol produced adrenergic nerve blockade and some degree of hypotension without blocking cardiac β-adrenoceptors.

6. The relevance of adrenergic neurone blockade to the hypotensive effect of propranolol is discussed.

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Selected References

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

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