Abstract
The pharmacological effect of amezinium on the urethra and bladder of rabbits was investigated. Amezinium produced concentration-dependent contractions in isolated urethral strips. The maximum response was approximately 30% of that caused by norepinephrine (NE). The concentration-response curve of NE was shifted to the left by amezinium. Moreover, amezinium enhanced the relaxative effect of NE on carbachol-induced contractions in isolated bladder strips. In anesthetized rabbits, amezinium significantly increased the intraurethral pressure (IUP) but produced only slight increases in mean blood pressure (MBP). Pre-treatment with amezinium ehhanced NE-induced increases in IUP index and MBP. The enhancing effect on the IUP index lasted much longer than that on MBP. In a stress incontinence model amezinium significantly inhibited the incontinence after an i.v. infusion of a low dose of NE. This effect was antagonized by pre-treatment with prazosin. These results suggest that amezinium may produce an excellent effect for stress incontinence, especially mixed, without severe adverse events such as sudden hypertension.