Coronary and systemic hemodynamic effects of tetramethylpyrazine in the dog

The hemodynamic effects of tetramethylpyrazine were examined in 27 anesthetized open chest dogs with electromagnetic flowmeter probes on the left circumflex coronary artery and ascending aorta. Tetramethylpyrazine, 2-15 mg/kg i.v., caused prominent systemic and coronary vasodilation, with a maximum reduction of mean aortic pressure from 92 +/- 5 mm Hg during control conditions to 62 +/- 7 mm Hg (p less than 0.01), a peak increase in cardiac output from 3.0 +/- 0.4 to 4.1 +/- 0.7 L/min (p less than 0.05), and a peak reduction of systemic vascular resistance from 2,450 +/- 400 to 1,210 +/- 329 dyne X s X cm-5 (p less than 0.01). Simultaneously, heart rate increased from 143 +/- 9 to 174 +/- 8 beats/min (p less than 0.01), and maximum left ventricular dP/dt increased from 2,410 +/- 120 to 4,020 +/- 60 mm Hg/s (p less than 0.01). Dose-related increases of coronary blood flow occurred from 37.3 +/- 3.7 to a maximum of 74.1 +/- 6.6 ml/min (p less than 0.01), while mean coronary vascular resistance decreased from 1,770 +/- 240 to 700 +/- 260 dyne X s X cm-3 (p less than 0.01). Myocardial oxygen consumption increased in proportion to the increase in coronary blood flow. Following beta-adrenergic blockade with propranolol (1 mg/kg, i.v.), ganglionic blockade with hexamethonium, or catecholamine depletion with reserpine (1.0 mg/kg, i.p.), the systemic and coronary vasodilator effects of tetramethylpyrazine persisted, but the increases in heart rate, maximum left ventricular dP/dt, and myocardial oxygen consumption were markedly attenuated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)