Studies on Experimental Vasospasm: Effect of Reserpine on Experimental Vasospasm

ABSTRACT

Preliminary in vitro experiments were performed to define the contraction effects of the serotonin and prostaglandin F2 alpha in cat's internal carotid artery. Subsquently 12 cats were used to study changes in contractility resulting from pretreatment with reserpine. The arteries, which were exposed to serotonin and prostaglandin F2 alpha contracted significantly just after exposure time. And by addition of higher concentrated serotonin and prostaglandin F2 alpha more contractions were noted. Arteries isolated from reserpine-pretreated cats responded to the serotonin and prostaglandin F2 alpha with similar pattern to those seen in control groups, but the contractility showed some what more decreased slope compared to those with high concentration of serotonin only. These results suggested that reserpine might have yet unknown effects which were different from known mechnism of serotonin to cerebral arteries.