The effect of S-(+)-boldine on the α1-adrenoceptor of the guinea-pig aorta

1. The cardiovascular activity of S-(+)-boldine, an aporphine alkaloid structurally related to papaverine, was determined. The work includes functional studies on guinea-pig isolated aorta contracted with noradrenaline, caffeine, KCl or Ca2+, and on guinea-pig trachea contracted with acetylcholine or histamine. 2. S-(+)-boldine inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner the contractile response evoked by noradrenaline (10 microM) in guinea-pig aorta (IC50 = 1.4 +/- 0.2 microM) while the KCl depolarizing solution (60 mM)- or the Ca2+ (1 mM)-induced contractions were only partially affected by boldine up to 300 microM. In contrast, papaverine relaxed noradrenaline (NA), KCl or Ca2+ induced…