Evidence that the efficacy (intrinsic activity) of fenoterol is higher than that of salbutamol on beta-adrenoceptors in guinea-pig trachea.
The functional antagonism of carbachol by fenoterol and salbutamol (beta-adrenoceptor agonists) has been used to demonstrate that the efficacy (intrinsic activity) of fenoterol was about twice that of salbutamol on guinea-pig trachea. The mean maximum shifts of the carbachol concentration--response lines by fenoterol and salbutamol were (log units) 1.07 +/- 0.07 (n = 5) and 0.64 +/- 0.07 (n = 5) respectively. This difference in their efficacies could be demonstrated as differences in maximum relaxation on tracheal preparations contracted with carbachol, although this was dependent on the concentration of carbachol used. beta-Adrenoceptor blocking properties of salbutamol (1 mM) but not fenoterol (1 mM) could be demonstrated on trachea in that salbutamol, but not fenoterol, antagonised the shift in the carbachol concentration--response line produced by isoprenaline. The implications of these findings in relation to the use of fenoterol and salbutamol as bronchodilators is discussed.
Evidence that the efficacy (intrinsic activity) of fenoterol is higher than that of salbutamol on beta-adrenoceptors in guinea-pig trachea. The functional antagonism of carbachol by fenoterol and salbutamol (beta-adrenoceptor agonists) has been used to demonstrate that the efficacy (intrinsic activity) of fenoterol was about twice that of salbutamol on guinea-pig trachea. The mean maximum shifts of the carbachol concentration--response lines by fenoterol and salbutamol were (log units) 1.07 +/- 0.07 (n = 5) and 0.64 +/- 0.07 (n = 5) respectively. This difference in their efficacies could be demonstrated as differences in maximum relaxation on tracheal preparations contracted with carbachol, although this was dependent on the concentration of carbachol used. beta-Adrenoceptor blocking properties of salbutamol (1 mM) but not fenoterol (1 mM) could be demonstrated on trachea in that salbutamol, but not fenoterol, antagonised the shift in the carbachol concentration--response line produced by isoprenaline. The implications of these findings in relation to the use of fenoterol and salbutamol as bronchodilators is discussed.