ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the cardiovascular effect of selective orexin-1 receptor (OX1R) antagonist SB408124 in anesthetized rats and explore the underlying mechanism by using intracerebroventricular (ICV) microinjection combined with immunohistochemical assay.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The changes of mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) of male Sprague-Dawley rats were recorded during ICV microinjection of SB408124 with or without pretreatment of atropine methyl nitrate or hexamethonium bromide. Furthermore, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunopositive neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) of the rat were detected with immunohistochemical assay after ICV microinjection of SB408124.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>ICV administration of SB408124 resulted in a significant decrease in MAP in anesthetized rats, which was accompanied with a mild decrease in HR. The cardiovascular responses elicited by SB408124 were not abolished by pretreatment of atropine methyl nitrate whereas fully abolished by pretreatment of hexamethonium bromide. The number of TH-immunopositive neurons in rat RVLM were significantly decreased following ICV administration of SB408124.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>ICV microinjection of selective OX1R antagonist SB408124 can cause decreases of MAP and HR mediated by inhibiting sympathetic activity in anesthetized rats.</p>