Response of urinary noradrenaline excretion to reserpine administration in normal and hypertensive subjects

Reserpine was administered in purpose to determine the "Noradrenaline store" in sympathetic nerve endings. The marked increase of urinary noradrenaline excretion was observed by reserpine 0.4 mg/day administration. Total amount of noradrenaline in urine for first three days of 0.4 mg/day of reserpine administration was considered as a good indicators of "Noradrenaline store". There was no difference of "Noradrenaline store" between normal and hypertensive subjects. The increase % of urinary noradrenaline was higher in labile hypertension than in established hypertension as well as in normal subjects. Though the relationship between "Noradrenaline store" or the increase % of noradrenaline and sympathetic nerve activity was not clear, it is suspected that the releasable noradrenaline in sympathetic nerve granule was higher in labile hypertension than in established hypertension or normal subjects.