An adrenergic neuron blocking action of propranolol in isolated tissues

Propranolol was tested for adrenergic neuron blocking activity in three isolated sympathetically-innervated smooth muscle preparations; the rat vas deferens, rabbit ileum and rabbit ear artery. In each preparation propranolol impaired the responses to sympathetic stimulation without reducing the responses to added noradrenaline. This blocking action of propranolol resembled that of guanethidine in time of onset and persistence of blocking activity but, unlike blocking by guanethidine, was not reversed by (+)-amphetamine. Desipramine and noradrenaline also failed to reverse the blocking action of propranolol. In the rat vas deferens preparation lignocaine had a weaker and more transient sympathetic blocking action than propranolol. It is suggested that the sympathetic blocking action of propranolol may contribute to its antihypertensive effect in man.