Chemically induced cardiovascular reflexes arising from the stomach of the cat

We examined the potential for cardiovascular reflexes caused by the application of either bradykinin or capsaicin to the serosal or mucosal surface of the stomach. After application to the serosa, bradykinin (10 micrograms/ml) evoked increases in mean arterial pressure of 12 +/- 2 mmHg, heart rate of 5 +/- 1 beats/min, left ventricular dP/dt (at 40 mmHg developed pressure) of 305 +/- 54 mmHg/s and systemic vascular resistance of 0.04 +/- 0.01 PRU. Capsaicin (200 microgram/ml) caused similar cardiovascular responses. There were no cardiovascular responses when either substance was applied to the gastric mucosa. The responses to both chemicals were abolished by celiac ganglionectomy but not by bilateral vagotomy. To determine whether the cardiovascular responses evoked by bradykinin were caused by smooth muscle contraction, we compared the increases in gastric smooth muscle tension and blood pressure elicited by bradykinin, bethanechol, or acetylcholine. Bethanechol and acetylcholine caused greater increases in tension than bradykinin, whereas bradykinin evoked greater increases in blood pressure than either bethanechol or acetylcholine. We conclude that stimulation of gastric afferents by capsaicin or bradykinin causes cardiovascular reflexes, primarily through activation of chemosensitive receptors.