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THE QUESTION OF EPINEPHRIN IN THE CIRCULATION AND ITS RELATION TO BLOOD PRESSURE
1Department of the Practice of Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, and the First Medical Division of the Presbyterian Hospital, New York.
The Journal of Experimental Medicine
|October 30, 2009
Summary
This study developed a method to detect epinephrine in blood. Epinephrine was not found in general circulation, except in suprarenal vein blood, suggesting it does not affect blood pressure.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Epinephrine (adrenaline) is a hormone with significant physiological effects.
- Detecting epinephrine in circulating blood is crucial for understanding its role in various conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a reliable method for detecting epinephrine in complex biological fluids.
- To investigate the presence and physiological significance of epinephrine in circulating blood.
Main Methods:
- A modified Meyer method using parallel tests on surviving ox carotid and coronary arteries was employed.
- Analysis of uncoagulated blood from individuals with high blood pressure.
- Examination of constrictor substances in defibrinated blood and serum.
Main Results:
- The modified Meyer method proved effective for detecting epinephrine in biological fluids.
- Epinephrine was not detected in the general circulating blood, except in blood from the suprarenal vein.
- No epinephrine or other constricting substances were found in the blood of individuals with high blood pressure.
- A constrictor substance in defibrinated blood and serum was identified as non-epinephrine-like, acting similarly to barium chloride.
Conclusions:
- The developed method is suitable for detecting epinephrine in blood.
- Circulating blood, excluding suprarenal vein blood, does not appear to contain physiologically significant amounts of epinephrine.
- The constrictor substance in defibrinated blood and serum has a direct effect on smooth muscle, independent of sympathetic innervation.
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