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The central ocular hypotensive effect of clonidine

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Summary

Clonidine was administered into the left vertebral artery of anesthetized cats. A dose-response curve of the lowering effect on intraocular pressure (IOP) has been made and compared with the dose-response curve obtained after intravenous administration. A more pronounced decrease in IOP after the first route of administration became evident. The effect is not secondary to a stronger reduction of blood pressure by centrally injected clonidine.

Distribution experiments with 14C-clonidine revealed no direct connection between the vertebral arteries and the blood supply of the eye. For 2 h the concentrations in the eye are somewhat lower than after intravenous administration. Therefore, the IOP-lowering effect is not due to a direct influence of clonidine on the eye.

It is submitted that the clonidine-induced reduction in IOP is at least in part due to a central mechanism, in which the stimulation of central α-adrenoceptors and adrenergic neurons may be involved. The relevance of this hypothesis with regard to a possible central regulation of IOP is discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacotherapy, University of Amsterdam, Plantage Muidergracht 24, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    H. C. Innemee & P. A. van Zwieten

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  1. H. C. Innemee
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  2. P. A. van Zwieten
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Innemee, H.C., van Zwieten, P.A. The central ocular hypotensive effect of clonidine. Albrecht von Graefes Arch. Klin. Ophthalmol. 210, 93–102 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00409995

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