ADRENALINE BRONCHOCONSTRICTION IN ISOLATED BLOOD PERFUSED LUNGS

• Published in: Experimental physiology 1941-12, Vol.31 (2), p.129-159
• Main Authors: Daly, I. De Burgh, Hebb, Catherine O., Petrovskaia, B.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0958-0670; 0033-5541; 1469-445X
• DOI: 10.1113/expphysiol.1941.sp000852

1. A method is described for the separate blood perfusion of each lung under negative pressure ventilation, whereby one lung can be used as a control, the other as a test-object. 2. In isolated lungs perfused with defibrinated or heparinised blood, the bronchial response to injections of adrenaline (2-10 µg.) repeated at ten-minute intervals over a period of three hours varies according to the duration of perfusion. The first injection in freshly perfused lungs causes bronchodilatation. Injections during the succeeding 40-90 minutes produce a progressively weaker bronchodilatation, or are without effect. Subsequent to this period adrenaline injections cause a moderate bronchoconstriction. 3. The bronchoconstrictor response fails to appear if during the earlier period of perfusion adrenaline is steadily infused into the circulation in quantities greater than 5 µg./min. or if too frequent and large single doses of adrenaline are given. 4. In lungs perfused for two hours without adrenaline being added to the blood, the first injection of adrenaline thereafter generally causes a powerful bronchoconstriction. The adrenaline bronchoconstrictor response appears in nicotinised and atropinised lung preparations, but is suppressed or reversed by ergotoxine. 5. Once the adrenaline bronchoconstrictor response has appeared, its subsequent appearance to single doses of adrenaline depends upon the dose administered and the previous "adrenaline history" of the preparation. 6. In some perfused preparations the pulmonary arterial pressure rise to adrenaline is markedly increased after 120 minutes of perfusion as compared with the effect of adrenaline on the freshly perfused preparation. 7. No evidence has been obtained that the addition of posterior pituitary extracts affects the occurrence of adrenaline bronchoconstriction. 8. The possible significance of the results enumerated above is discussed in relation to potential mechanisms governing the onset and alleviation of certain types of asthmatic attacks.