Pharmacological and hemodynamic studies on flunarizine

Systemic administration of flunarizine (3 mg/kg i.v.) to rats decreased the vascular reactivity of their mesenteries to phenylephrine (PhE) and norepinephrine (NE). Intra-arterial perfusion of flunarizine (100 pg to 1 microgram/ml) produced dose dependent attenuation of the vasoconstrictor responses induced by PhE and Ne in the isolated perfused rat mesentery. Flunarizine (5 mg/kg i.p.) did not significantly affect general hemodynamics (i.e. mean blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output and hematocrits) in anaesthetized rats. However, it produced significant decreases in the blood flows to the kidneys and the spleen associated with similar changes in the percentage distribution of the cardiac output to these organs. These studies indicate that in rats, flunarizine produced preferential effects in different vascular beds.