O-Acetyljervine;A New $\beta-adrenoceptor$ agonist from veratrum album

  • Anwar-H. Gilani (Department of Pharmacology,The Aga Khan University Medical College) ;
  • Khalid-Aftab (HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi) ;
  • S.A. Saeed (Department of Pharmacology,The Aga Khan University Medical College) ;
  • Rahat-A. Ali (HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi) ;
  • Rahman, Atta-ur (HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi)
  • Published : 1995.04.01

Abstract

Intravenous administration of O-acetyliervine (an alkaloid from Vertrum album) produced a dose-dependent (10-100 .mu.g/kg) fall in blood pressure and tachycardia in anaesthetized normotensive rats. Pretreatment of animals with propranolol (1mg/kg) abolished these cardiovascular responses of O-acetyljervine similar to that of isoprenaline $(1\mu/ml)$. In isolated tissue experiments, O-acetyljervine $(10-100\mu/ml)$ produced a dose-dependent relaxation of phenylephrine-induced contraction of the rabbit aorta. In guinea-pig spontaneously beating atria, it caused positive inotropic and chronotorpic responses in a dose-dependent fashion $(10-100\mu/ml)$. These responses were abolished in the presence of propranolol $(1\mu/ml)$ similar to that of isoprenaline. These results indicate that O-accetyljervine is adrenoceptor stimulant $(\beta_1\; and\;beta_2)$ like isoprenaline.

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