Effects of catecholamines on the isolated aorta of the snake Bothrops jararaca

1. Effects of catecholamines in snakes have been examined using an aorta preparation isolated from Bothrops jararaca. Adrenaline, noradrenaline and isoprenaline produced dose-dependent contractions on this preparation. The relative potency was adrenaline greater than noradrenaline greater than isoprenaline. 2. Phentolamine displaced, to the right, the concentration-response curve of the three catecholamines tested, showing the presence of alpha-adrenoceptors in this preparation. 3. Isoprenaline has never produced a relaxation, even when the aorta was first contracted by BaCl2 and pretreated with phentolamine, indicating that beta-adrenoceptors are absent in this preparation. 4. In this Bothrops jararaca preparation, exclusively neuronal uptake was found, thus demonstrating that its existence was preserved during evolution.