Anorectic effect of alpha 2-antagonists in dog: effect of acute and chronic treatment.

Acute oral administration of alpha 2-antagonists (yohimbine, RX 821002, atipamezole: 1 mg/kg each) reduced dog food intake. Yohimbine reduced food intake over 20 hours, while the effect of the two other drugs lasted only 2 hours. Yohimbine (0.4 or 1 microgram/kg) gave the same results. At these doses, it promoted a lasting durable increase in plasma nonesterified fatty acids and catecholamines levels and a transient elevation of plasma insulin levels. The beta-antagonist nadolol (4 mg/kg per os) suppressed the yohimbine-induced lipid mobilization without modifying its anorectic effect. Chronic oral yohimbine (0.4 mg/kg/day during 14 days) reduced food intake and promoted a weight loss. Normal food intake was recovered two days after yohimbine withdrawal. No change was observed in the number of platelet alpha 2-adrenergic receptors. In addition to their lipid mobilizing action and sympathetic tone stimulation, alpha 2-antagonist compounds reduce food intake.