Studies on the mechanism of the cardiovascular effect of intraventricular 5-hydroxytryptamine in rabbit

An attempt was made to investigate the effect of intracerebroventricular 5-hydroxytrypatamine (5-HT) on the cardiovascular system in urethane-anesthetized rabbit and to elucidate the mechanism of its action. 5-HT given into a lateral ventricle caused clearly a dose-dependent decrease inboth arterial blood pressure and in heart rate. The bradycardia and hypotension induced by 5-HT were significantly attenuated by the prior injection of ketanserin, cyproheptadine or clonidine. Pretreatment of atropine with bilateral vagotomy did not affect both bradycardia and hypotension. Propranolol weakened markedly the breadcardia of 5-HT but did not influence the depressor response of 5-HT. These experimental results suggest that intraventricular 5-HT cause the hypotension and bradyardia in rabbits through the stimulation of serotonergic receptors in brain, which is seemed to be associated to inhibition of sympathetic tone.