[The renal nerve and cardiovascular responses to renal receptor stimulation with veratrine in dogs]

Renal nerve and cardiovascular effects of intrarenal veratrine (Ver) were investigated using the cross-perfused kidney preparations of anesthetized dogs. Ver (1 and 3 micrograms/kg), injected as a bolus, elicited increases in arterial blood pressure (ABP), heart rate (HR) and renal efferent nerve activity (RENA). Ganglion blockade, hexametonium (2 mg/kg) markedly diminished increases in ABP, HR and RENA induced by Ver. In a separate group of animals, significant increases in renal afferent nerve activity (RANA) occurred after Ver administration. It is concluded that selective intrarenal Ver activates renal nerve afferents, and these results in cardiovascular changes are consistent with efferent sympathetic activation.