Antidipsogenic Action of Alpha Methyldopa

Acute peripheral administration of methyldopa (20 mg/kg, i.p.) attenuates drinking response in rats to acute peripheral administration of either isoproternol (25μg/kg bw, s.c.) or hypertonic saline (5 ml/kg bw, i.p.) solution. This antidipsogenic action was not different from that of acute peripheral administration of clonidine (12 μg/kg bw, i.p.). These results suggest that methyldopa has antidipsogenic effect similar to clonidine and support the view that alpha2 adrenoceptors on neuraxis are involved in mediating this effect.