Reduced adrenal amine synthesis in spontaneously hypertensive rats after long-term treatment with propranolol.

Male spontaneously hypertensive rats were either fed a diet containing 3 mg/g of (+/-)-propranolol, giving a mean daily intake of 178 +/- 4.2 mg/kg, or a control diet from 7 weeks of age for 6 months. Three days after cessation of propranolol-treatment, the arterial blood pressure of the treated group was about 10% lower than that of the control group. Adrenal dopamine content and tyrosine hydroxylase activity were reduced to 76% and 71% of the control values, respectively. The results indicate that propranolol causes a reduced sympathetic discharge through its central action, although blockade of beta-adrenoceptor-mediated local regulatory mechanisms cannot be excluded.