Noradrenaline, Adrenaline, and the Human Circulation

Abstract

In recent years there has been considerable interest in -the circulatory action of the neurohormones-, adrenaline and noradrenaline. The effects of these substances in man hTve been extensively investigated, and it seems appropriate to take stock of this recent knowledge, particularly because it is now possible to define with reasonable certainty the function of adrenaline and noradrenaline in the normal working of the body.The humoral concept of transmission of nerve impulses dates from the time of Elliott (1905), who suggested that the sympathetic nerves caused their effects by liberating a chemical transmitter substance at their endings which activated the effector cell. Elliott thought that this transmitter was adrenaline, and, indeed, for a long time no other substance was seriously considered in its place. It is surprising that this should have been so, because Barger and Dale (1910), in their classical paper on the chemical structure and sympathomimetic action of amines, pointed out difficulties in accepting adrenaline as the transmitter of sympathetic nerve impulses. They also stated that the action of certain other amines was more like the action of the sympathetic nerves than was that of adrenaline.The significance of these observations in the past few years has been fully appreciated, for Euler (1946) demonstrated that extracts of organs contained a substance indistinguishable from one of the other amino bases of the catechol group, noradrenaline. This was the most important single observation in support of the theory first put forward by Bacq (1934) that noradrenaline might be the transmitter substance in sympathetic nerves. The immediate task is to describe the action of the two naturally occurring sympathomimetic amines-adrenaline and noradrenaline-in the circulation in man and to define their part in normal and abnormal physiology. Comprehensive reviews covering the chemical and biological action of noradrenaline and adrenaline have recently been published by Euler (1950Euler ( , 1951 and Goldenberg (1951 It is also clear that the effects of adrenaline on the circulation may last for 10 to 30 minutes after an infusion, whereas the effects of noradrenaline persist for a much shorter period. In all these studies, intravenous doses ranging from 2 to 35 ,ug. of adrenaline per minute and from 10 to 35 jig. of noradrenaline per minute were used for periods of 3 to 35 minutes.

Epinephrine and norepinephrine actions and use in man

“…These effects are only occasionally encountered after administration of norepinephrine. Swan 88 noted from his interviews with 60 subjects who received epinephrine by inh'avenous infusion that the effects were usually more marked than those experienced in previous situations of alarm, and concluded that epinephrine may well enter the circulation during stress, but at rates rather below 10 p,g per minute. These findings are in harmony with observations on the excretion in urine during stressful situations, as studied extensively by Elmadjian, Hope, and Lamson 24 and others.…”

Efficacy and safety of terlipressin in cirrhotic patients with variceal bleeding or hepatorenal syndrome

“…107,108 NE also has beta-1-adrenergic effects, which increase the force and rate of contraction of the heart. 107,108 Altogether NE increases the systemic vascular resistance and arterial blood pressure. It has been feared that NE might decrease renal blood flow; however it seems that in vasodilated states NE might even improve renal blood flow, though this is only supported by animal studies.…”

2 Methodological Considerations in Psychoendocrine Research

“…This may depend upon the catecholamine interaction with the corticosteroids and ACTH (cf. Roston, 1961;Lecomte et al, 1960;Euler, 1955;Panisset et al, 1961) and thyroid hormones (Kuschke et al, 1960;Wurtman et al, 1963;d'lorio and Mavrides, 1963;McDonald et al, 1935;Sumbajev, 1961;Dawidowicz, 1961;Brewster et al, 1956;Harrison, 1964) or upon increased tissue sensitivity (Swan, 1952;Zhmakin, 1957;Yoshinaga et al, 1960;Raab and Krzywanek, 1965). rine, ephedrine and methylephedrine (Beckett and Rowland, 1965 a and b;Wilkinson and Beckett, 1968).…”