Reversible adrenergic alpha-receptor blocking action of 2,4'-dimethyl-3-piperidino-propiophenone (tolperisone)

The vascular action of 2,4'-dimethyl-3-piperidino-propiophenone hydrochloride (tolperisone hydrochloride), a centrally acting muscle relaxant, was investigated in pentobarbital anesthetized dogs. Tolperisone given intravenously produced a transient hypotension, tachycardia, and hyperventilation. The drug increased the femoral arterial flow, and decreased the superior mesenteric arterial flow following an initial transient increase. When injected directly into femoral and mesenteric arteries, tolperisone caused a rapid increase in both arterial flow (vasodilatation). However, femoral vessels were about 90 times as sensitive as mesenteric vessels to tolperisone. These results indicate that tolperisone shifts the blood volume from mesenteric (visceral) vessels to femoral (skeltal) ones. The femoral vasodilatation produced by i.a. tolperisone was not depressed by the pretreatment with i.a. propranolol, atropine or chlorphenylamine. Tolperisone decreased the contractile force in an isolated and cross-circulated papillary muscle. Tolperisone produced adrenaline reversal and antagonized the pressor response to noradrenaline. Moreover, femoral vasoconstriction caused by i.a. adrenaline was converted to vasodilatation and that caused by i.a. noradrenaline was depressed during an i.a. infusion of tolperisone. These results indicate that tolperisone blocks adrenergic alpha-receptors. The blocking action was rapid in onset, short-lived, and in addition, competitive.