(+/-)-1-[[2-(3,4-Dimethoxphenyl)ethyl]amino]-3-(3-methylphenoxy)-2- propanol hydrochloride (bevantolol, NC-1400) as a beta 1-selective adrenoceptor blocker with alpha 1-adrenoceptor blocking activity.

Blocking activities of alpha- and beta-adrenoceptors by (+/-)-1-[[2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-ethyl]amino]-3-(3-methylphenoxy)-2 -propanol hydrochloride (NC-1400) were tested on the isolated muscles, comparing with those of labetalol and atenolol. In blocking the beta 1-adrenoceptor, NC-1400 was slightly more potent than labetalol and atenolol. NC-1400 was about 1/10th as potent as labetalol and about ten times as potent as atenolol in blocking the beta 2-receptor. NC-1400 was beta 1-adrenoceptor selective. NC-1400 was about 1/30th as potent as labetalol in blocking the alpha 1-receptor. NC-1400 did not interact with the alpha 2-adrenoceptor in concentrations up to 10(-5) M. The present results indicate that NC-1400 is the selective beta 1-adrenoceptor blocker with some blocking activity of alpha 1-adrenoceptors.