Increased Mucociliary Transport by Adrenergic Stimulation

Abstract
Tracheobronchial clearance of inhaled 6 .mu.m Teflon particles (density 2 g/cm3) tagged with 99mTc was studied in healthy human subjects by external measurement of the radioactivity in the lungs for 2 h. Clearance, salivary secretion, blood pressure and heart rate were determined in 8 subjects after double-blind, s.c. administration of 0.25 mg terbutaline sulfate, a .beta.-adrenoceptor stimulating compound and vehicle, respectively, in a crossover study. Terbutaline produced a marked increase in clearance and a slight increase in heart rate, but had no important effect on salivary secretion or blood pressure. Blood concentrations of catecholamines might be of importance for the regulation of the mucociliary transport rate.