Specific bradycardic agents. 1. Chemistry, pharmacology, and structure-activity relationships of substituted benzazepinones, a-new class of compounds exerting antiischemic properties.

Structural modification of the calcium-antagonist verapamil (1) by replacement of the lipophilic alpha-isopropylacetonitrile moiety by various heterocyclic ring systems has led to a new class of cardiovascular compounds which are characterized by a specific bradycardic activity. These agents reduce heart rate without binding to classical calcium channels or beta-adrenoceptors, interacting instead specifically with structures at the sino atrial node. Therefore they have also been termed sinus node inhibitors. The prototype falipamil (2) has been submitted to further optimization mainly by manipulation of the phthalmidine moiety. This has resulted in a second generation of specific bradycardic agents with increased potency and selectively and prolonged duration of action represented by the benzazepinone-derivative UL-FS 49 (4). Structure-activity relationships within this novel class of compounds have revealed a marked dependence of activity on the substitution pattern of the aromatic rings, the nature of the central nitrogen atom, and the length of the connecting alkyl chains. The crucial role of the benzazepinone ring for bradycardic activity can be best explained by its special impact on the overall molecular conformation.

Effects of alinidine on survival and infarct size in rats with coronary artery occlusion.

Ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery was performed in open-chest anaesthetized rats. One group had coronary occlusion for 3 h while ligation lasted for 30 min in a second group and was followed by a 150-min reperfusion period. The area at risk and area of infarction were determined immediately after premature death or 3 h after the ligature was set, by means of Evans blue and triphenyltetrazoliumchloride staining and subsequent photometric quantification. Saline or alinidine (5 mg/kg i.v.) was administered 15 min prior to ligation. The alinidine groups received a further 0.5 mg/kg i.v. 1 and 2 h after ligation. A large number of animals in the control groups died during the first 30 min. The animals that survived 3 h had a smaller area at risk than those dying prematurely and about 100% of the area at risk became infarcted. All animals in the two alinidine groups survived the first 30 min. All these animals survived with a larger area at risk than the control groups. The area of infarction in relation to the area at risk was significantly smaller than in the control groups. The cardioprotective effects of alinidine may be explained by a reduction in heart rate and a slight reduction in blood pressure.

The dopamine autoreceptor agonist, B-HT 920, preferentially reduces brain dopamine release in vivo: biochemical indices of brain dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin in ventriculocisternal perfusates in the cat.

B-HT 920 (6-allyl-2-amino-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-thiazolo[4,5-d]azepine), a candidate for selective dopamine (DA) autoreceptor agonist activity, was tested for its interactions with biochemical parameters of brain dopaminergic, noradrenergic and serotoninergic systems as measured in ventriculocisternal perfusates of chloralose-anaesthetized cats. DA, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), homovanillic acid (HVA), noradrenaline (NA) and 5-hydroxyindolic acid (5-HIAA) were measured in samples of 30 min collection periods by high-pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. B-HT 920, in the dose range of 0.03-1 mg/kg i.v., promptly inhibited the efflux of DA and DOPAC in a dose-dependent manner. The 1 mg/kg dose of B-HT 920 reduced the DA levels below 25% of control levels for the whole length of the experiments. The HVA levels were reduced less and in a protracted manner. Only the highest dose of B-HT 920 tested (1 mg/kg) had a significant effect on the level of NA (marked, prompt reduction) and 5-HIAA (delayed, moderate reduction), reflecting its well known alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist property. The effects of B-HT 920 on the dopaminergic indices were DA receptor-mediated as they were reversed by a low dose (0.05 mg/kg i.v.) of haloperidol. In contrast, the alpha 2-adrenoceptor blocking drug, idazoxan, 4 mg/kg i.v., while it reversed the NA and 5-HIAA reductions did not modify the effect of B-HT 920 on DA, DOPAC and HVA. Thus B-HT 920, in the dose range between 0.03-0.1 mg/kg, selectively affected brain dopaminergic parameters. Our experiments demonstrated that B-HT 920 causes an effective, long lasting and selective suppression of extracellular brain DA levels in vivo. B-HT 920 represents a promising compound for clinical use in pathological conditions known to be ameliorated by a reduction of brain DA activity, such as Huntington's disease, mania and schizophrenia.

Specific bradycardic agents--a novel pharmacological class?

Data have been reviewed and presented which suggest that substances from two different chemical groups, congeners of alinidine and falipamil, respectively, can be described as representatives of a novel and distinct pharmacological class: specific bradycardic agents (SBAs). They are characterized by a slowing of the sinus rate within physiological limits as the prominent cardiovascular effect. Involvement of alpha-adrenoceptors, beta-adrenoceptors and cholinergic receptors as mediators of the bradycardic effects have been excluded. Experiments in isolated atrial preparations suggested that drugs of the same type as alinidine or as falipamil have a similar mode of rate lowering action which is different from that of Ca-channel blockers: low external Ca2+ increased and low Na+ as well as high K+ decreased the bradycardic effect of SBA; verapamil behaved in the opposite way. Combination of different SBAs did not result in excessive additive rate-lowering effects; in contrast, addition of verapamil to maximally acting concentrations of SBAs resulted in a further significant reduction in rate. SBAs were much more potent in reducing spontaneous sinus rate than in reducing BaCl2 induced automaticity, whereas Ca-channel blockers behaved in the opposite way. Differences in the cardiovascular profile against other drugs with rate lowering effects have been pointed out: beta-adrenoceptor blocking agents more markedly decrease contractility and Ca-channel blocking agents more markedly decrease contractility, slow down AV conduction and have vasorelaxing properties.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Investigations differentiating the mechanism of specific bradycardic agents from that of calcium channel blockers.

The effects of two "specific bradycardic agents", falipamil (AQ-A 39) and the alinidine-congener STH 2148 (2-[N-(cyclopropylmethyl)-N-(2,6-dibromophenyl)amino]-2-imidazolin e), on the spontaneous electrical discharge rate of intact guinea-pig sinus node preparations were investigated in comparison to that of the "calcium channel blocker" verapamil. Addition of falipamil (10 micrograms/ml) to a maximally rate lowering concentration of STH 2148 (30 micrograms/ml) exerted no further bradycardic effect. In contrast, verapamil (0.1 microgram/ml) added to either STH 2148 (30 micrograms/ml) or a maximally effective concentration of falipamil (30 micrograms/ml) resulted in a further, significant reduction of sinus rate. The results are compatible with the idea of a common mechanism of the two specific bradycardic agents, different from that of calcium channel blockers.

The dopamine autoreceptor agonist B-HT 920 inhibits in vivo dopamine release into the cerebroventricular system of cats.

In anesthetized cats the dopamine autoreceptor agonist B-HT 920 (6-allyl-2-amino-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-thiazolo-[4,5-d]-azepine), 1 mg/kg i.v., greatly decreased the amount of dopamine in cerebroventricular perfusates. This effect was antagonized by a low dose (50 micrograms/kg i.v.) of haloperidol, but not by the alpha 2-adrenoceptor blocker idazoxan. Our observations provide evidence that B-HT 920 inhibits brain dopamine release in vivo and may be therapeutically valuable in diseases presumed to be accompanied by a predominance of brain dopamine activity, such as Huntington's disease, mania and schizophrenia.

The dopamine autoreceptor agonist B-HT 920 stimulates denervated postsynaptic brain dopamine receptors in rodent and primate models of Parkinson's disease: a novel approach to treatment.

B-HT 920 (6-allyl-2-amino-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-thiazolo-[4,5-d]azepine), an agonist at alpha 2-adrenoceptors and at dopamine autoreceptors, was tested with respect to stimulation of postsynaptic brain dopamine receptors in mice, rats and rhesus monkeys. In mice B-HT 920 (0.2-20 mg/kg s.c.) injected 4 h after reserpine did not stimulate locomotor activity; this was in contrast to apomorphine (0.1-10 mg/kg s.c.) which elicited locomotor activity in a dose-dependent manner. However, B-HT 920 was effective in inducing locomotor activity when injected 12, 24 and 48 h after reserpine. This effect was dose-dependent and increased with the duration of reserpine pretreatment. In naive rats, B-HT 920 (0.02-2.0 mg/kg s.c.) only decreased exploratory activity and did not elicit stereotyped activity in doses up to 4 mg/kg s.c. This was in contrast to the stereotypy-inducing effect of apomorphine (2.0 and 4.0 mg/kg s.c.). In rats with unilateral striatal ibotenic acid lesion, B-HT 920 (0.2-2.0 mg/kg s.c.) was ineffective in producing significant ipsilateral rotation, whereas apomorphine (0.5-10.0 mg/kg s.c.) was very potent in this model. In rats with unilateral 6-OH-dopamine lesions of the medial forebrain bundle B-HT 920 elicited strong contralateral rotation in a dose-dependent manner (0.02-1.0 mg/kg s.c.). In this model B-HT 920 was equi-effective but long acting when compared with apomorphine. The contralateral rotation produced by B-HT 920 was antagonized by the D2-antagonist sulpiride but not by the D1-antagonist SCH 23390. In rhesus monkeys with severe parkinson-like symptoms induced by MPTP, B-HT 920 in doses of 10 micrograms/kg i.m. and higher restored normal behavior, resulting in complete relief of parkinson symptoms in all animals with 100 micrograms/kg i.m. It is concluded that the property of B-HT 920 to stimulate the 'denervated' supersensitive (reserpine, 6-OH-dopamine, MPTP) but not the normosensitive postsynaptic dopamine receptor in the striatum may represent a novel principle for a specific approach to dopamine substitution treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Investigations into the bradycardic effects of UL-FS 49 (1,3,4,5-tetrahydro-7,8-dimethoxy-3-[3-[[2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)ethyl] methylimino]propyl]-2H-3-benzazepin-2-on-hydrochloride) in isolated guinea pig atria.

The new bradycardic agent UL-FS 49 (1,3,4,5-tetrahydro-7,8-dimethoxy-3-[3-[[2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl]ethyl] methylimino]propyl]-2H-3-benzazepin-2-on-hydrochloride) was investigated in isolated guinea pig atria. In spontaneously beating preparations UL-FS 49, (0.03 and 0.1 microgram/ml) reduced the rate of contraction and decreased the maximal effect of isoprenaline added thereafter. The cumulative concentration-response curve of isoprenaline was antagonized, but not in a competitive manner, excluding an interaction at the beta-adrenoceptor. The rate of spontaneous electrical activity in sinoatrial node preparations was increased by superfusion with isoprenaline (0.1 microgram/ml). Addition of UL-FS 49 (0.1 microgram/ml) as well as propranolol (0.3 microgram/ml) reduced rate to control values. In electrically driven (1 Hz) left atria UL-FS 49 (1 microgram/ml) did not reduce contractile force and did not antagonize the positive inotropic effect of isoprenaline added cumulatively thereafter. When contractile force was first elevated by isoprenaline (0.1 microgram/ml), addition of UL-FS 49 (0.1 microgram/ml) did not affect contractility, whereas propranolol (0.3 microgram/ml) abolished the positive inotropic effect of isoprenaline. The experiments, therefore, demonstrate the specificity of UL-FS 49 to decrease heart rate but not contractility during beta-adrenoceptor stimulation. In contrast to propranolol (0.3 microgram/ml) UL-FS 49 (0.1 microgram/ml) also reduced sinoatrial rate elevated by histamine (1 microgram/ml) or theophylline (300 micrograms/ml), thus indicating a possible use as an antitachycardic drug at tachycardias of various origins. In sinus node preparations depolarized by high external K+ concentrations (10.8 mM), the bradycardic effect of UL-FS 49 (0.1 microgram/ml) was diminished.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antifibrillatory properties of alinidine after coronary artery occlusion in rats.

Ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery was performed in open-chest anaesthetized rats and mortality as well as changes in ECG were evaluated for 30 min thereafter. Saline or drugs were administered 15 min prior to ligation. In the control group, following a 4 min lag period ventricular arrhythmias as single ectopic beats, ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation (VF) appeared, reaching a maximum between 10 and 20 min and disappearing after 30 min. Mortality (40% in the control group) coincided with the period of maximal arrhythmias, with VF more common in animals that died than in those surviving. Alinidine, a drug which reduces sino-atrial rate specifically but has no conventional antiarrhythmic properties, reduced mortality and VF. By means of order statistics the quantity 'risk of death' was used for evaluation of drug effects, considering incidence of death and VF as well as duration of VF. This quantity was reduced in correlation with the dose of alinidine (1-6 mg/kg i.v.) and in correlation with the reduction of heart rate. Mexiletine, an antiarrhythmic drug with membrane-depressant properties, also reduced the 'risk of death' dose dependently (1-10 mg/kg i.v.), but there was no correlation with a decrease in heart rate. It is suggested that alinidine reduced 'risk of death' by means of a reduced oxygen demand due to a decrease in heart rate.

Possible function of alpha 1-adrenoceptors in the CNS in anaesthetized and conscious animals.

The influence of St 587 (2-(2-chloro-5-trifluoromethylphenylimino)imidazolidine), a selective alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist which easily penetrates the blood-brain barrier, was tested on behavior and cardiovascular functions, respectively. The substance (up to 10 mg/kg subcutaneously (s.c.)) did not increase the exploratory activity of naive mice. The hexobarbitone 'sleeping' time in mice was reduced in a dose-dependent manner (St 587 ED50 = 14.4 mg/kg s.c.). Haloperidol 10 mg/kg s.c. induced catalepsy which was antagonized by St 587 in a dose-dependent manner (ED50 = 2.7 mg/kg i.p.). Conversely, the alpha 1-adrenoceptor-blocking agents prazosin and corynanthine elicited catalepsy in mice which had been treated with a subthreshold dose (2 mg/kg s.c.) of haloperidol; the ED50 values of the antagonists were 0.26 and 4.7 mg/kg i.p., respectively. In anaesthetized cats blood pressure and heart rate were not affected by 100 micrograms/kg St 587 injected into the left vertebral artery. In conscious dogs with beta-adrenoceptors blocked, the drug was without effect (100 micrograms/kg intracisternally) on vagally mediated reflex bradycardia, as evoked by intravenous noradrenaline injection. As a positive control the alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist B-HT 920 which is equipotent to St 587 with respect to peripheral vasopressor effects in rats was injected with 10 micrograms/kg intracisternally and facilitated the reflex bradycardia. It is concluded that alpha 1-adrenoceptors within the brain mediate behavioral activation in states of CNS depression but remain without effect on cardiovascular centers.

Alpha 2-adrenoceptor blocking properties of the alpha 1-selective agonist 2-(2-chloro-5-trifluoromethylphenylimino)imidazolidine (St 587).

The selective alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist 2-(2-chloro-5-trifluoromethylphenylimino)imidazolidine (St 587) was tested with respect to putative alpha 2-adrenoceptor blocking properties. In these studies 6-allyl-2-amino-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-thiazolo[4,5-d]azepine (B-HT 920) was used as a selective alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist. At peripheral presynaptic sites St 587 (1 mg/kg i.v.) significantly antagonized the inhibitory effect of B-HT 920 (3-30 micrograms/kg i.v.) on electrically induced tachycardia in pithed rats. To study influences on central sympathoinhibition, urethane anaesthetized, vagotomized rats were used. Parameter measured was heart rate and this was decreased by B-HT 920. St 587 antagonized this effect in the range 1-10 mg/kg s.c. in a dose-dependent manner. These vagotomized rats were pretreated with prazosin, thus a central stimulation of alpha 1-adrenoceptors by St 587 was excluded. In anaesthetized dogs with beta-adrenoceptors blocked 10 micrograms/kg B-HT 920 intracisternally promoted a vagally mediated reflex bradycardia as elicited by angiotensin. St 587 given 20 min later with 100 micrograms/kg intracisternally almost completely abolished this effect. In mice, the exploratory activity was greatly diminished by treatment with the alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonists B-HT 920 (200 micrograms/kg s.c.) or azepexole (20 mg/kg s.c.) and this effect was partly antagonized by St 587 (0.1 or 1 mg/kg i.p.). In behavioral experiments dogs treated with St 587 (0.3-10 mg/kg i.v.) showed signs of irritation, especially in higher doses. Dogs treated with B-HT 920 (0.3 mg/kg i.v.) fell into a narcotic state, dogs treated in addition with St 587 (0.3-3 mg/kg i.v.) remained conscious but were remarkably sedated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Investigations into the bradycardic action of indoramin.

Indoramin is a selective alpha 1-antagonist which reduces blood pressure without reflex tachycardia and can cause a bradycardia. The direct bradycardic effect of indoramin was investigated in various isolated cardiac preparations as well as in the intact cat. In isolated guinea-pig atria indoramin reduced spontaneous atrial rate in concentrations similar to those that reduced maximal driving frequency but smaller than those reducing contractility (EC30 = 0.9, 1.3 and 5.2 micrograms/ml, respectively). In the isolated perfused electrically driven (2.5 Hz) guinea-pig heart, indoramin 1 microgram/ml mainly increased ST interval with no effect on QRS interval, higher concentrations (3 micrograms/ml) also increased the QRS interval. In anaesthetized cats indoramin 6 mg/kg i.v. reduced blood pressure and heart rate (increased cycle length), increased the ST interval and effective refractory period (measured by electrical stimuli from the right ventricle) but had little or no effect on the QRS interval and the diastolic stimulation threshold. With the 10 mg/kg dose the latter two parameters were increased. Analogous experiments with the antiarrhythmic drug mexiletine (class I) showed little changes in cycle length, effective refractory period and the ST interval, however, there was a marked increase in diastolic threshold. DL-sotalol, which as well as having a beta-adrenoceptor blocking action, also prolongs action potential duration (class III antiarrhythmic activity), had the same cardiac profile as indoramin. For both indoramin and sotalol a significant positive correlation was shown between increase in cycle length and increase in effective refractory period. It is suggested that indoramin exerts class III antiarrhythmic activity and that this property is responsible for the bradycardic action of the drug which is seen in doses that already markedly reduce blood pressure. In higher doses or concentrations indoramin also exerts class I antiarrhythmic activity which, however, does not contribute to the bradycardic effect.

Decrease in bradycardic effect of AQ-A 39 and alinidine in guinea-pig sinoatrial node depolarized by high external K+-concentration.

The effects of the two "specific bradycardic agents" AQ-A 39 and alinidine on the spontaneous electrical discharge rate of intact guinea-pig sinus node preparations were investigated. At high external K+-concentrations (10.8 and 16.2 mmol/l) the bradycardic effect of the two drugs was diminished or abolished. In contrast, the negative chronotropic effect of the reference compound verapamil ("Ca2+-antagonist") was enhanced. These results show that the bradycardic effects of AQ-A 39 and alinidine are diminished in depolarized preparations, which makes it unlikely that in intact sinus node preparations the mechanism of action is the same as that of "Ca2+-antagonists".

B-HT 958--an antagonist at alpha 2-adrenoceptors and an agonist at dopamine autoreceptors in the brain.

B-HT 958 (2-amino-6-(p-chlorobenzyl)-4H-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrothiazolo[5,4-d]az epine), a compound chemically related to clonidine-like drugs of the azepine type, was described previously as a mixed agonist-antagonist at peripheral alpha 2-adrenoceptor sites. In the present experiments the actions of B-HT 958 on brain noradrenergic and dopaminergic mechanisms were examined using behavioural, pharmacological and biochemical methods. (i) In the dog, intracisternally injected B-HT 958 (300 micrograms/kg) abolished the reflex bradycardia facilitated by the alpha 2-agonist B-HT 920 (10 micrograms/kg i.ci.). (ii) In the whole mouse brain as well as in the rat hypothalamus and neocortex, but not in the hippocampus, amygdala and nucleus accumbens B-HT 958 (5-20 mg/kg s.c.) accelerated the alpha-methyltyrosine (alpha-MT)-induced disappearance of noradrenaline. (iii) B-HT 958 decreased in a dose-dependent manner the exploratory activity of mice (ED50: 6.3 mg/kg s.c.) and slightly enhanced the motor activity of reserpine-treated mice only in high doses. (iv) B-HT 958 (20 mg/kg s.c.) lowered the level of homovanillic acid in the striatum and nucleus accumbens and dose dependently (1-20 mg/kg) slowed the alpha-MT-induced disappearance of dopamine in these 2 brain regions of the rat as well as in the whole mouse brain. (v) The gamma-butyrolactone-induced increase in DOPA levels was effectively antagonized by B-HT 958 (1 and 5 mg/kg s.c.) in the rat striatum and nucleus accumbens. These behavioural, pharmacological and biochemical observations indicate that B-HT 958 possesses central alpha-adrenoceptor blocking activity and exerts a strong agonistic effect on brain dopamine autoreceptors.

Effects of peripheral alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonists on baroreceptor responsiveness in conscious dogs.

Baroreceptor responsiveness was investigated in conscious dogs following increasing doses (i.v.) of the selective alpha-adrenoceptor agonists methoxamine (alpha 1) and oxymetazoline (alpha 2), in the presence and absence of beta-adrenoceptor blockade. The study was repeated in another group of dogs with background afferent baroreceptor nerve activity reduced by continuous infusion of sodium nitroprusside. Both agonists dose dependently increased mean arterial pressure and reflexly decreased heart rate. In dogs pretreated with a beta-adrenoceptor antagonist a correlation between increase in mean arterial pressure (increase up to 70 mmHg) and increase in heart period (baroreceptor responsiveness) indicated no difference in the regression lines between methoxamine and oxymetazoline for both the normotensive and the sodium nitroprusside groups. However, in the dogs not pretreated with a beta-adrenoceptor antagonist the slope of the regression line for oxymetazoline was steeper than that for methoxamine (P less than 0.01) in the normotensive group. In the sodium nitroprusside group the regression line for oxymetazoline was situated significantly to the left of the methoxamine line (P less than 0.05). It is suggested that this greater bradycardic response to the alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist oxymetazoline was caused by suppression of the cardiac sympathetic component (presynaptic modulation of noradrenaline release) in addition to the vagal activation and the sympathetic withdrawal component of the reflex. This indicates that drugs with alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonistic activity can influence a reflex physiological situation under conditions of low sympathetic nerve activity.

Cardiovascular characterization of UL-FS 49, 1,3,4,5-tetrahydro-7,8-dimethoxy-3-[3-][2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)ethyl] methylimino]propyl]-2H-3-benzazepin-2-on hydrochloride, a new "specific bradycardic agent".

UL-FS 49, a chemical congener of AQ-A 39 with structural similarities to verapamil, decreased the rate of spontaneously beating guinea-pig atria at much lower concentrations (effective concentration 30%, EC30 = 0.030 microgram/ml) than it decreased the contractility (2.5 Hz; EC30 = 108 micrograms/ml) and maximal driving frequency (EC30 = 11 micrograms/ml) in electrically driven atria. In comparable experiments AQ-A 39 was much less effective, the EC30 for the negative chronotropic effect being 0.61 microgram/ml. In rabbit aortic strips in the presence of 43 mM K+ and 1.8 mM Ca2+, UL-FS 49 relaxed contraction by 30% at 15 micrograms/ml. In contrast to UL-FS 49, several "Ca2+-antagonists" elicited aortic relaxation at lower concentrations than bradycardia. In anaesthetized cats (n = 6) 0.3 mg/kg i.v., UL-FS 49 increased the cardiac cycle length by 56 +/- 3.5% (S.E.), there were slight or no changes in blood pressure and ECG intervals PQ and QRS. ST and the effective refractory period (ERP), as determined by R-triggered extrastimuli in the right ventricle, were prolonged by 28 +/- 3.1% and 24 +/- 2.5% respectively. At comparable increases in cycle length AQ-A 39 prolonged ST and ERP significantly more than UL-FS 49. In isolated guinea-pig atria UL-FS 49 antagonized the carbachol-induced bradycardia; a 10-fold shift of the dose-response curve (CA10) was achieved with 11.3 micrograms/ml and the CA10 for AQ-A 39 was 1.7 micrograms/ml. In conscious dogs UL-FS 49, 1 mg/kg i.v., decreased the heart rate without changes in blood pressure. This was observed in dogs with both genuine sinus rate and heart rate elevated by either atropine or hydralazine. The bradycardic effect was positively correlated with the control heart rate. In conclusion, sinus bradycardia was the most prominent action of UL-FS 49 in isolated preparations as well as in intact animals. In comparison to its congener AQ-A 39, UL-FS 49 was more potent in lowering heart rate but less effective in prolonging repolarization time and in anticholinergic activity. It thus represents a new specific bradycardic agent.

Facilitation of the Bezold-Jarisch reflex by central stimulation of alpha 2 adrenoceptors in dogs.

The Bezold-Jarisch reflex characterized by hypotension and bradycardia was elicited in anaesthetized artificially respired dogs (pretreated with a beta-adrenoceptor antagonist ) using capsaicin 10 micrograms/kg (i.v.). Intracisternal administration of the highly selective "clonidine-like" alpha 2 adrenoceptor agonists B-HT 920 (10 micrograms/kg) or B-HT 933 (30 micrograms/kg) significantly facilitated this reflex bradycardia. The involvement of central alpha 2-adrenoceptors is suggested as intracisternal administration of the alpha 2 adrenoceptor blocking drugs yohimbine (50 micrograms/kg) and piperoxan (50 micrograms/kg) antagonized this facilitation. B-HT 920 also facilitated the vagally mediated baroreceptor reflex to the hypertensive effect of intravenous noradrenaline (3 micrograms/kg). Although the Bezold-Jarisch reflex and the baroreceptor reflex have different afferent pathways, both reflexes may either converge into a common pathway or have separate neuronal chains within the medulla; however, this study indicates that both have a similar central modulatory system stimulated by alpha 2 adrenoceptors.