The pressor effect of peptone in the rat.

Peptone normally causes a rise of blood pressure in rats. Since the pressor response was not abolished or even diminished by adrenalectomy, it could not have been caused by a release of pressor substances from the adrenal glands. The group of drugs (dibenamine, dihydroergotamine, ergotamine, tolazoline, nicotine and hexamethonium) which antagonize or block the peptone-induced pressor action suggests that the pressor effect may be secondary to a release of sympathin by the stimulation of sympathetic ganglia. Since it was not possible to duplicate the pressor response to peptone by either 48/80 or histamine, the hypothesis that peptone acts by liberating histamine can be ruled out.