Effects of perhexiline on contractile response of rabbit aorta to norepinephrine and potassium

Perhexiline (3.2 × 10^?7 -6.4 × 10^?6 M) and verapamil (2 × 10^?8 -2 × 10^?7 M) inhibited the contraction of rabbit aorta induced with 40 mM K⁺ and with low concentrations (5.9 × 10^?9 -5.9 × 10^?8 M) of norepinephrine more effectively than the contraction induced by higher concentrations of norepinephrine. The tension induced by 1.2 × 10^? M norepinephrine was augmented with the above concentrations of perhexiline and verapamil. Higher concentrations (3.2 × 10^?5 -6.4 × 10^?5 M) of perhexiline significantly reduced the peak tension induced by norepinephrine. The results suggest that perhexiline is a Ca²⁺ antagonist and also has an unspecific spasmolytic action.