Effect of guanethidine on alpha-adrenoceptor blocking potency of phentolamine in vitro

The effect of guanethidine on the alpha-adrenoceptor blocking potency of phentolamine was studied using the rabbit aortic strip and rat vas deferens. The agonists used were noradrenaline (in presence of DOCA and cocaine which block uptake mechanisms) and xylometazoline (which is not taken up by uptake mechanisms). Guanethidine augmented the responses to noradrenaline and xylometazoline and increased the pA2 value of phentolamine against both agonists. Increased affinity of alpha-receptors may be partly responsible for the guanethidine-induced supersensitivity to alpha-adrenoceptor agonists.