The sympathomimetic activity of N-isopropyloctopamine in vitro

Isolated right and left guinea-pig atria, guinea-pig tracheae and rabbit aortic strips were used to define the sympathomimetic properties of N-isopropyloctopamine. This compound was a highly beta selective, direct-acting adrenergic agonist, approximately 200- and 440-fold less potent than isoproterenol in cardiac and smooth muscle, respectively. It was nearly a full agonist in both cardiac and smooth muscle without appreciable selectivity for either beta-1 or beta-2 receptors and had no demonstrable beta blocking activity. No alpha adrenergic activity was detectable within the concentration range tested. The chronotropic effect of N-isopropyloctopamine was very persistent and resistant to repeated washing of the tissues, which may reflect unusually firm binding to beta receptors.