Summary
A dose-dependent decrease in exploratory activity of naive rats was observed after 5–20 mg/kg i.p. of salbutamol. This effect was antagonized by the pretreatment with propranolol and yohimbine. Furthermore, in a single dose of 5 mg/kg salbutamol increased clonidine-induced hypoactivity. By contrast to acute effects, repetitive administration of salbutamol (5 mg/kg twice daily for 10 days) failed to change exploratory activity of rats and abolished the clonidine-induced hypoactivity.
The results demonstrate differences in the acute and chronic effects of salbutamol on behaviour which may indicate changes in the sensitivity of adrenergic pre- as well as postsynapticα-adrenoceptors. Tentatively, the results could be explained by development ofα 2-adrenoceptor subsensitivity and the involvement ofβ-adrenoceptors in the regulation of their activity.
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Mogilnicka, E. The effects of acute and repeated treatment with salbutamol, aβ-adrenoceptor agonist, on clonidine-induced hypoactivity in rats. J. Neural Transmission 53, 117–126 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01243403
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01243403