Complete blockade by phenoxybenzamine of alpha 1- but not of alpha 2-vascular receptors in dogs and the effects of propranolol.

In pithed dogs pressor responses to phenylephrine were completely inhibited 1 h after phenoxybenzamine 20 mg/kg i.v., but those to norepinephrine were only partially inhibited. The pressor effects of norepinephrine in phenoxybenzamine-treated animals were inhibited by yohimbine, 2.0 mg/kg i.v., but not by prazosin, 0.5 mg/kg i.v. In animals treated with phenoxybenzamine, 20 mg/kg i.v., plus propranolol, 5.0 mg/kg i.v., the partially restored pressor response to epinephrine, and the responses to norepinephrine, were completely inhibited by yohimbine, 2.0 mg/kg i.v., partially inhibited by corynanthine, 5.0 mg/kg i.v., but not affected by prazosin, 0.5 mg/kg i.v. In additional animals treated with phenoxybenzamine plus propranolol, yohimbine, 10, 50, 200 and 500 microgram/kg i.v., caused dose-related inhibition of both the partially restored pressor response to epinephrine, and the pressor responses to norepinephrine. It is concluded that: 1) phenoxybenzamine completely blocks alpha 1, but not alpha 2 vascular receptors; 2) the pressor effect of norepinephrine in phenoxybenzamine-treated animals, and the partially restored pressor effect of epinephrine in phenoxybenzamine-propranolol-treated animals, are both mediated by alpha 2 vascular receptors which are resistant to blockade by phenoxybenzamine.