Influence of ω-amino-acids on blood pressure, catecholamine stores and the pressor response to physostigmine in the rat

Abstract

The effects of aliphatic ω-amino-acids of various chain lengths, i.e. glycine, Γ-aminobutyric acid, s̀-amino-valeric acid, δ-aminocaproic acid and 7-amino-oenanthic acid, on blood pressure and myocardial catecholamine stores in the renal hypertensive rat, and the pressor response to physostigmine in the normotensive rat were studied. The effects of the ω-amino-acids were compared with those of guanethidine and α-methyldopa. δ-Aminocaproic acid, like guanethidine and α-methyldopa, produced a fall in blood pressure, a decrease in catecholamine stores and inhibited the pressor response to physostigmine. GABA reduced blood pressure, but did not affect the other parameters. s̀-Amino-valeric acid reduced blood pressure and depleted catecholamine stores slightly, but did not inhibit the pressor response to physostigmine. The other ω-amino-acids were inactive.