Femoral vascular effects of some beta receptor adrenergic blocking agents.

Beta receptor adrenergic blocking agents produce a fall of systemic arterial blood pressure which has been attributed to interference with the function of sympathetic nerves to the heart (1). While pronethalol and propranolol are known to have a peripheral vasodilator component of action which contributes to their hypo tensive effect (2, 3), it has not been determined if the more recently synthesized beta blockers viz., MJ-1999 [dl 4-(2-isopropylamino-l-hydroxyethyl) methanesulfonanilide hydrochloride] and Ko-592 [1-(3-methyl phenoxy)-2-hydroxy-3-isopropyl aminopropane hydrochloride] have similar actions. Hence the peripheral vascular actions of these beta blockers have been investigated and compared with propranolol. In 12 mongrel dogs anaesthetized with pentobarbital sodium (30 mg/kg i.v.), right femoral artery was perfused at a constant rate with a Rotor pump by deriving animal's own arterial blood from left femoral artery