HYPOTENSION PRODUCED BY PLATELET-ACTIVATING FACTOR IS REVERSED BY THYROTROPIN-RELEASING-HORMONE

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 13  (3) , 255-260
Abstract
Platelet-activating factor(PAF), a vasoactive phospholipid implicated in anaphylactic reactions, causes severe hypotension in experimental animals that is highly resistant to pharmacological therapy. PAF (1 nmol/600 g body weight, i.v.) evidently produced profound hypotension in unanesthetized guinea pigs that was promptly and completely reversed by thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) (2 mg/kg, i.v.) or by the synthetic TRH analog MK771 (2 mg/kg, i.v.). TRH also reversed this hypotension when administered intracerebroventricularly (ICV) at a dose (0.02 mg/kg) that was systemically ineffective. The opiate receptor antagonist naloxone (5 mg/kg) was less effective than TRH in reversing the cardiovascular consequences of PAF administration. TRH apparently reverses PAF-induced shock through central receptor-mediated mechanisms. This therapeutic action of TRH may partially account for the beneficial cardiovascular effects of this peptide in anaphylactic shock.

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