Anaesthetised normotensive rats for the detection of hypotensive activity of a beta-adrenoceptor antagonist and other antihypertensive agents

A simple method for the detection of antihypertensive activity in anaesthetised (66 mg/kg i. v. alpha-chloralose and 20 mg/kg i. v. aprobarbital) normotensive rats is described. Dihydralazine (0.5 to 2 mg/kg i. v.) reduced blood pressure dose-dependently but did not provoke the anticipated tachycardia. Clonidine (1 to 8 microgram/kg i.a.), guanethidine (0.5 to 5 mg/kg i.a.) and alpha-methyldopa (2.5 to 10 mg/kg i.a.) reduced blood pressure dose-dependently; the effect of reserpine (0.1 to 1.0 mg/kg i.a) was, however, not dose-dependent. Although all four drugs reduced heart rate, only clonidine and guanethidine did so in a dose-dependent manner. Phentolamine (0.5 to 2 mg/kg i. v.) and propranolol (0.01 to 1 mg/kg i. v.) elicited dose-dependent falls in blood pressure. Whereas phentolamine increased heart-rate slightly, propranolol elicited a bradycardia. It is concluded that the chloralose-aprobarbital anaesthetised rat is a suitable and economical model for the screening of potential antihypertensive agents including beta-adrenoceptor antagonists. However, reflex trachycardia provoked by peripheral vasodilators may not be apparent.