EFFECTS OF RING SUBSTITUTION ON THE PRE-JUNCTIONAL AND POSTJUNCTIONAL ALPHA-ADRENERGIC ACTIVITY OF ARYLIMINOIMIDAZOLIDINES

The pre- and postjunctional α-adrenergic agonist potency of a series of aryliminoimidazolidines was determined in the isolated rabbit ear artery. This series included clonidine, an antihypertensive agent thought to act by stimulating brainstem α-receptors and known to be a preferentially prejunctional α-adrenergic agonist. Although all of the compounds acted preferentially on the prejunctional α-adrenoceptor, ring substitution had a dramatic effect on both potency and the degree of selectivity. 2-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenylimino) imidazolidine was both the most potent and most selective prejunctional α-agonist in this series. © 1979 Springer-Verlag.