Inhibitory alpha-adrenergic action of phenylephrine in guinea pig taenia caecum

Phenylephrine, a selective alpha-adrenergic stimulant, caused a maximal relaxation of the taenia from guinea pig caecum in the concentration of 10(-6) g/ml. Phenylephrine in this concentration did not influence intracellular cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP levels. Although phenylephrine abolished the spontaneous spike discharge, no change was detected in 45Ca-uptake and 45Ca-efflux on the tissue level after phenylephrine. Ca-uptake and Ca-release on the subcellular level were also not influenced by phenylephrine. In Ca free-solution phenylephrine inhibited the response to CaCl2. Phenylephrine increased 42K-efflux in the normally polarized taenia and also in the K-depolarized taenia.