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. 1993 Sep;110(1):297–302. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1993.tb13808.x

Effect of adrenoceptor agonists on striated muscle strips of the canine oesophagus.

T Tokuhara 1, A L Meulemans 1, W J De Ridder 1, M Higashino 1, H Kinoshita 1, J A Schuurkes 1
PMCID: PMC2176032  PMID: 8106105

Abstract

1. Acute psychological stress, which could be related to the release of a large amount of catecholamines, may cause oesophageal motility disorders. Therefore, the aim of our study was to elucidate the influence of adrenoceptor agonists on the striated muscle portion of the oesophagus by use of isolated strips from dogs. 2. Contractions were evoked in isolated striated muscle strips by electrical field stimulation (1 pulse min-1, 1 ms/pulse, submaximal voltage). The effects induced by administration of adrenoceptor agonists alone or in the presence of antagonists were tested to determine the nature of the adrenoceptors on this muscle preparation. 3. The administration of both the natural adrenoceptor agonists, adrenaline and noradrenaline, and the synthetic beta-adrenoceptor agonists, isoprenaline (beta 1 + beta 2), dobutamine (beta 1) or ritodrine (beta 2), enhanced the amplitude of the contractions induced by electrical stimulation in a concentration-dependent manner. The maximum responses were 82.6 (adrenaline), 66.2 (noradrenaline), 86.2 (isoprenaline), 34.6 (dobutamine) and 80.8% (ritodrine). The EC20 values obtained were respectively 2 nM, 0.2 microM, 0.91 nM, 3 microM and 80 nM. The administration of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist, phenylephrine, also enhanced the contractile response in a concentration-dependent manner (EC20 value = 0.3 microM) and the maximum response was 64.6%, but the administration of the alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist, clonidine, did not influence the contractile response. These data suggest the involvement of beta 2- and possibly alpha 1-adrenoceptors in the responses of these adrenoceptor agonists.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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Selected References

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