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On the significance of anaphylactic catecholamine release in guinea pigs

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Summary

Mepyramine (100 μg/kg) prevented guinea pigs from acute anaphylactic death, but about 60% of the animals died later in the so-called protracted shock. Propranolol (1 mg/kg) abolished the effect of mepyramine on acute anaphylaxis. Dibenamine (1 mg/kg) reduced the death rate in protracted shock of urethane-anesthetized guinea pigs, but increased it in non-anesthetized animals.

Reserpinization (24h) did not prevent acute anaphylaxis in non-anesthetized guinea pigs. Protracted shock in mepyramine-treated animals was practically lacking.

In reserpinized guinea pigs a small but significant increase of serum adrenaline was measured in the acute shock; 20 and 120 min after antigen no serum catecholamines at all were found.

Injection of reserpine immediately before antigen enhanced lethality in protracted shock. Dibenamine abolished this effect. Very high serum noradrenaline and adrenaline levels were found.

Infusion of adrenaline increased the death rate in protracted shock. Dibenamine again prevented this effect.

The role of liberated catecholamines in acute and protracted shock is discussed.

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A preliminary report was given on the 13th Spring Meeting of the German Pharmacological Society at Mainz, March 19–22, 1972. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 274 (Suppl.), R 17 (1972).

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Bernauer, W., Filipowski, P. On the significance of anaphylactic catecholamine release in guinea pigs. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 276, 35–47 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00500776

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00500776

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