Skip to main content
NCBI home page
British Journal of Pharmacology logoLink to British Journal of Pharmacology
. 1981 Nov;74(3):643–649. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1981.tb10475.x

The action of propranolol on factors concerned with the delivery of oxygen to the tissues.

J M Ledingham, D C Lees
PMCID: PMC2071753  PMID: 7296166

Abstract

1 In a previous study in conscious rats, orally administered propranolol acutely lowered cardiac output by 30.5% and oxygen uptake by 12.2%, while oxygen extraction rose by 31.5%. The present study is concerned with the way in which the rat meets its oxygen requirements against such a fall in perfusion. 2 The effect of known concentrations of propranolol on haemoglobin-oxygen affinity was studied in vitro. The effect of orally administered propranolol (given acutely and chronically) was then determined and this was related to the concentration of the drug in plasma and red cells. Further studies were made on the action of propranolol on the Bohr effect and on arterial oxygen carriage. 3 In vitro, high concentrations of propranolol (1 x 10(-4) M) influenced haemoglobin-oxygen affinity in a biphasic manner and this was associated with changes in haematocrit and red cell and plasma pH. No change occurred in affinity after acute or chronic oral administration of the drug due to insufficient concentration in the blood. No direct action of the Bohr effect was detected. 4 Arterial oxygen content rose acutely due to an increase in haemoglobin concentration. 5 It is concluded that increased oxygen extraction in propranolol-treated rats is not explained by the actions of the drug on haemoglobin-oxygen affinity.

Full text

PDF
643

Selected References

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

  1. Agostoni A., Berfasconi C., Gerli G. C., Luzzana M., Rossi-Bernardi L. Oxygen affinity and electrolyte distribution of human blood: changes induced by propranolol. Science. 1973 Oct 19;182(4109):300–301. doi: 10.1126/science.182.4109.300. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Brundin T., Edhag O., Lundman T. Effects remaining after withdrawal of long-term beta-receptor blockade. Reduced heart rate and altered haemodynamic response to acute propranolol administration. Br Heart J. 1976 Oct;38(10):1065–1072. doi: 10.1136/hrt.38.10.1065. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Edwards M. J., Martin R. J. Mixing technique for the oxygen-hemoglobin equilibrium and Bohr effect. J Appl Physiol. 1966 Nov;21(6):1898–1902. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1966.21.6.1898. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Ekman A., Manninen V., Salminen S. Ion movements in red cells treated with propranolol. Acta Physiol Scand. 1969 Mar;75(3):333–344. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1969.tb04386.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Frohlich E. D., Tarazi R. C., Dustan H. P., Page I. H. The paradox of beta-adrenergic blockade in hypertension. Circulation. 1968 Mar;37(3):417–423. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.37.3.417. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hansson L., Zweifler A. J., Julius S., Hunyor S. N. Hemodynamic effects of acute and prolonged beta-adrenergic blockade in essential hypertension. Acta Med Scand. 1974 Jul-Aug;196(1-2):27–34. doi: 10.1111/j.0954-6820.1974.tb00962.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hayes A., Cooper R. G. Studies on the absorption, distribution and excretion of propranolol in rat, dog and monkey. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1971 Feb;176(2):302–311. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Julius S., Pascual A. V., Abbrecht P. H., London R. Effect of beta-adrenergic blockade on plasma volume in human subjects. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1972 Jul;140(3):982–985. doi: 10.3181/00379727-140-36594. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Ledingham J. M., Lees D. C. Acute effects of propranolol on the circulation and on oxygen uptake in conscious rats. Br J Pharmacol. 1981 Nov;74(3):635–641. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1981.tb10474.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Lichtman M. A., Cohen J., Murphy M. S., Kearney E. A., Whitbeck A. A. Effect of propranolol on oxygen binding to hemoglobin in vitro and in vivo. Circulation. 1974 May;49(5):881–886. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.49.5.881. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Oski F. A., Miller L. D., Delivoria-Papadopoulos M., Manchester J. H., Shelburn J. C. Oxygen affinity in red cells: changes induced in vivo by propranolol. Science. 1972 Mar 24;175(4028):1372–1373. doi: 10.1126/science.175.4028.1372. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Pendleton R. G., Newman D. J., Sherman S. S., Brann E. G., Maya W. E. Effect of propranolol upon the hemoglobin-oxygen dissociation curve. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1972 Mar;180(3):647–656. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Potter L. T. Uptake of propranolol by isolated guinea-pig atria. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1967 Jan;155(1):91–100. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Schrumpf J. D., Sheps D. S., Wolfson S., Aronson A. L., Cohen L. S. Altered hemoglobin-oxygen affinity with long-term propranolol therapy in patients with coronary artery disease. Am J Cardiol. 1977 Jul;40(1):76–82. doi: 10.1016/0002-9149(77)90104-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. WEEKS J. R., JONES J. A. Routine direct measurement of arterial pressure in unanesthetized rats. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1960 Aug-Sep;104:646–648. doi: 10.3181/00379727-104-25937. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES