1 Adenosine produced a biphasic lowering of the mean BP with a drastic bradycardic e ect at the highest doses. The ®rst phase hypotensive response was signi®cantly reduced by the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor L-NAME. 2 The A 2a /A 2b agonist NECA produced hypotensive and bradycardic responses similar to those elicited by adenosine, which were not signi®cantly modi®ed by the A 2b antagonist enprofylline. 3 The A 2a agonist CGS 21680 did not signi®cantly in¯uence basal HR while induced a hypotensive response antagonized by the A 2a selective antagonist ZM 241385, and reduced by both L-NAME and the guanylate cyclase inhibitor methylene blue. 4 The A 1 agonist R-PIA showed a dose-dependent decrease in BP with a drastic decrease in HR at the highest doses. The A 1 selective antagonist DPCPX signi®cantly reduced the bradycardic activity and also the hypotensive responses obtained with the lowest doses while it increased those obtained with the highest ones. 5 The A 1 /A 3 agonist APNEA, in the presence of the xanthinic non-selective antagonist 8-pSPT, maintained a signi®cant hypotensive, but not bradycardic, activity, not abolished by the histamine antagonist diphenhydramine. 6 The selective A 3 agonist IB-MECA revealed a weak hypotensive and bradycardic e ect, but only at the highest doses. 7 In conclusion, in the systemic cardiovascular response to adenosine two major components may be relevant: an A 2a -and NO-mediated hypotension, and a bradycardic e ect with a consequent hypotension, via atypical A 1 receptors. Finally, an 8-pSPT-resistant hypotensive response not attributable to A 3 receptor-stimulation or to release of histamine by mastocytes or other immune cells was observed.
IntroductionFour classes of membrane surface adenosine receptors are described, de®ned A 1 , A 2a , A 2b and A 3 , through which the nucleoside in¯uences many functions in humans and other animals (Ralevic & Burnstock, 1998). As far as the cardiovascular system is concerned, adenosine slows heart rate (HR) and atrioventricular conduction and antagonizes the cardio-stimulatory e ects of catecholamines via cardiac A 1 receptors in di erent mammals (Belardinelli et al., 1989;Olsson & Pearson, 1990). An increase in blood pressure (BP) and HR has been described in rats and in cats via central A 1 receptors (St Lambert et al., 1994; SilvaCarvalho et al., 1993). In contrast, a dose-related decrease in BP and HR is observed after microinjection of adenosine into the caudal nucleus of tractus solitarii in the rat (Lo et al., 1998).As regards a direct e ect on blood vessels, A 1 purinoceptors mediate vasodilation in the porcine coronary artery (Merkel et al., 1992) but they are involved, on the contrary, in vasoconstrictor responses, i.e. in the rat kidney (Jackson, 1991), in guinea-pig pulmonary artery and aorta (Biaggioni et al., 1989;Stoggall & Shaw, 1990) and in hamster skin (Stojanov & Proctor, 1990;Proctor & Stojanov, 1991).Moreover, a signi®cant role of A 1 receptors in the regulation of BP also appears to be linked to a prejunction...