Effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide and its homologues on the noradrenaline-mediated secretion of fluid and protein from the rat submandibular gland.

1. Noradrenaline-mediated secretion of fluid and protein from rat submandibular glands was enhanced by vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and secretin but not by peptide histidine isoleucine (PHI) or gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP). 2. The synergistic effect of the combination of VIP with noradrenaline (NA) was antagonized by pretreatment with prazosin or phentolamine but not by pretreatment with yohimbine or propranolol. 3. These results suggest that VIP and secretin but not PHI and GIP can significantly enhance the secretion of fluid and protein that is mediated by NA in rat submandibular gland and that the synergistic effect of VIP and NA involves both alpha 1-adrenergic receptors and receptors for VIP.