Effects of Intradermal Injection of Vasopressors in Normal and Diseased Human Skin

Abstract

Introduction This report concerns the vasoconstrictor response of cutaneous vessels to various pressor substances introduced intradermally. It grew out of our interest in the study of percutaneous absorption and the possible role that topically applied vasoconstrictor agents might have in the control of inflammatory skin disorders. First it will be shown that the vasoconstrictor activity of these substances can be correlated to a large extent with specific chemical structure, and that cutaneous vasoconstriction induced by these compounds does not necessarily parallel their pressor activity. Second, results will be given of a survey of the vasoconstrictor activity of levarterenol (noradrenaline, B.P.) upon the vasodilation (erythema) observed in various acute and chronic cutaneous disorders. Background Very little is known concerning the mechanism of action of epinephrine and levarterenol as well as other catecholamines. It is generally believed that these agents act by catalyzing certain biochemical processes after having been attached to the