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The influence of acute and chronic cervical sympathectomy on the ocular hypotensive effect of clonidine

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Abstract

The influence of clonidine on intraocular pressure was studied in chloralose-anesthetized cats. The cats were subjected to unilateral cervical sympathectomy, either acute or chronic. The drug was injected either intravenously or into the left vertebral artery. With the aim of investigating the role of the sympathetic nervous system in the central IOP-lowering effect of clonidine, the fall in IOP induced by the drug in these preparations was compared to the decrease in ocular pressure caused by clonidine in intact cats. An enhanced depressor effect in both eyes of unilaterally sympathectomized cats became evident after the intravenous injection of clonidine. In contrast, the effect of central administration was similar or even smaller than in intact cats. We conclude that the central IOP-lowering effect of clonidine is diminished after cervical sympathectomy, indicating that the peripheral sympathetic nervous system is the efferent pathway of this centrally initiated effect.

Zusammenfassung

Der Einfluß von Clonidin auf den Augeninnendruck (AID) wurde an mit Chloralose narkotisierten Katzen untersucht. Bei den Tieren war der zervikale Sympathikus vor der Applikation des Pharmakon entweder akut oder chronisch ausgeschaltet worden. Die Substanz wurde entweder intravenös oder in die thorakale linke A. vertebralis injiziert. Mit dem Ziel die Rolle des sympathischen Nervensystems bei dem zentralen AID-erniedrigenden Effekt des Clonidin zu ermitteln, verglichen wir die durch das Pharmakon in den zervikal-sympathektomierten Tieren bewirkte AID-Senkung mit der Wirkung bei intakten Katzen. Nach intravenöser Verabreichung des Clonidin wurde in den beiden Augen der einseitig zervikal-sympathektomierten Katzen eine stärkere AID-Erniedrigung als bei den intakten Tieren beobachtet. Nach zentraler Verabreichung (A. vertebralis) war der Effekt bei den sympathektomierten Tieren jedoch gleich oder manchmal schwächer als bei den intakten Katzen.

Aus den Befunden wird geschlossen, die zentral induzierte AID-erniedrigende Wirkung des Clonidin werde durch vorhergehende zervikale Sympathektomie vermindert. Infolgedessen sollte der periphere Sympathikus als das efferente System des zentral-induzierten Effektes betrachtet werden. thektomie vermindert. Infolgedessen sollte der periphere Sympathikus als das efferente System des zentral-induzierten Effektes betrachtet werden.

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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, J. D. van Ommeren & P. A. van Zwieten

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  1. H. C. Innemee
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  2. J. D. van Ommeren
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  3. P. A. van Zwieten
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Innemee, H.C., van Ommeren, J.D. & van Zwieten, P.A. The influence of acute and chronic cervical sympathectomy on the ocular hypotensive effect of clonidine. Albrecht von Graefes Arch. Klin. Ophthalmol. 212, 11–18 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00413320

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00413320

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