Functional effects of imipramine on the rabbit urinary bladder: an in-vitro study

Imipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant that has been demonstrated to be useful in the treatment of certain voiding dysfunctions. Imipramine has a variety of pharmacological effects including direct antimuscarinic activity, inhibition of catecholamine reuptake, direct muscle relaxant, and calcium antagonism. Using the in-vitro whole bladder model we have studied the effect of imipramine on the rate and magnitude of both intravesical pressure generation and bladder emptying in response to field stimulation. The results can be summarized as follows: at concentrations as low as 1 mumol/l imipramine causes a significant inhibition of volume expulsion without significantly affecting pressure generation. Imipramine produced a dose-dependent inhibition of both pressure development and percent volume emptying; however, it was substantially more potent in inhibiting the ability of the bladder to empty than to generate pressure.