EFFECTS OF ANISODAMINE AND ATROPINE ON THE MICROVASCULATURE OF LIVER,SKELETAL MUSCLE AND FOOT-PAD SKIN IN ANESTHETIZED RATS

Rats were urethanised and kept in a constant temperature chamber.The surface temperature of various organs including the liver and the armpit skeletal mus-cle were monitored with a special mercury thermometer through a narrow hole on the skincut with scalpel. The temperature of the foot- pad skin were measured using a thermome-ter as reported previously. After iv of anisodamine or atropine at doses of 12. 5 ～50μg/kg the temper-ature of the liver and the armpit skeletal muscle were significantly reduced in adose-dependent manner but the skin temperature was increased. Temperature changeswere observed 5 min after drug administration, reaching peak height at about 15 min andmaintained for one hour or so. Isoprenaline, dopamine and aminophylline iv showed only a tempera-ture-elevating effect, while serotonin and noradrenaline caused only a tempera-ture- decreasing effect in all the three organs mentioned above. Although the functional significance of the opposite effects on the microcirculation ofdifferent tissues remain to be defined, the effects of atropine- like drugs must result in aredistribution of circulating blood and may have beneficial effects on the survival of somevital organs such as brain, lungs, kidneys…especially in shock.