Changes of catecholamines in central and peripheral tissues and in the urines of deoxycorticosterone–salt hypertensive rats

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Abstract
The catecholamine concentrations in the urines and in the tissues of the kidney, heart, striatum, and hypothalamus of control rats and rats treated with deoxycorticosterone and salt for 2-week and 5-week periods were measured and compared. In 2-week-treated rats there were no changes in blood pressure and catecholamines. In 5-week-treated rats, the blood pressure increased from 117 ± 5 to 152 ± 5 mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.13 kPa) and there was an increase of urinary dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. The kidney and heart tissues of the hypertensive rats showed a decrease of norepinephrine while in the hypothalamus all three catecholamines were increased. These data suggest that dopamine and epinephrine may also be involved in the sympathetic dysfunction in deoxycorticosterone–salt hypertension. They demonstrate for the first time an increase of dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine in the hypothalamus of deoxycorticosterone–salt hypertensive rats.