The effects of beta-adrenoceptor blocking drugs on non-esterified fatty acid release from adipocytes

A review is presented of the effects of beta-adrenoceptor blocking agents on lipolysis in adipose tissue. Considerable species differences appear to exist between the pharmacological characteristics of beta-adrenoceptors in adipocytes of rat, guinea pig, dog, cat, swine and man. Human adipocyte beta-adrenoceptors probably consist of two subtypes; insufficient data are available to ascertain whether they represent "classical" beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptors or atypical receptors similar but not identical to those in the rat. In vivo studies in man suggest that non-cardioselective beta-adrenoceptor blocking agents are more effective antilipolytic agents than cardioselective beta-adrenoceptor antagonists. No clinical evidence could be found to suggest that the quantitative differences in antilipolytic potency between cardioselective and non-cardioselective agents have more than speculative significance.