The direct inhibition of pancreatic electrolyte secretion by noradrenaline in the isolated perfused cat pancreas.

The continuous infusion of noradrenaline into the arterial supply of the isolated saline-perfused pancreas caused a dose-dependent rise in perfusion pressure, a reduction in perfusion rate and an inhibition of pancreatic secretion. With increasing dose there was always a greater reduction in secretion rate than there was of perfusate flow rate. Manual reduction of the perfusion rate resulted in a reduction in secretion rate. When noradrenaline reduced the perfusate flow by 44.2 +/- 6.0% the secretion rate fell by 76.6 +/- 14.1%. Manual reduction of the perfusion flow rate by a similar amount (43.0 +/- 5.7%) only reduced the secretion rate by 41.4 +/- 7.0%. The infusion of noradrenaline, when all calcium had been removed from the perfusate, caused only a small increase in perfusion pressure with little change in the perfusion flow whilst at the same time the inhibition of electrolyte secretion was relatively unaffected. The vasomotor and secretory effects of noradrenaline were abolished by phentolamine. It is concluded that noradrenaline inhibits pancreatic electrolyte secretion by a direct action on the secretory cell and indirectly by vasoconstriction and that both these effects are mediated through the alpha-receptor.