Effect of noradrenaline, bretylium and cocaine on the blood pressure response to tyramine in the rat.

Tyramine is mainly a pressor agent in the rat under urethane, although the hypertensive effect of tyramine in some experiments is followed by a prolonged increase or depression of blood pressure. Bretylium, in doses up to 10 mg/kg, prolonged the response to tyramine, whereas larger doses depressed or blocked its effect. When the hypertensive effect of tyramine was blocked by bretylium, both noradrenaline and dihydroxyphenylalanine, when slowly infused, were found to restore it. The well-known block by cocaine of the hypertensive response to tyramine could also be reversed by intravenous infusion of noradrenaline and dihydroxyphenylalanine. It is concluded that the infusion of noradrenaline and dihydroxyphenylalanine makes available noradrenaline in the postganglionic adrenergic nerves which is necessary for the action of tyramine.