Effects of Epinephrine, Norepinephrine and Histamine on Canine Intestine and Liver Weight Continuously Recorded in Vivo

¹ From the Department of Physiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota

A previously described strain gauge device for continuously recording organ weights in vivo is applicable to the investigation of vascular responses in the liver and small intestine of the dog, induced by histamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine. Histamine (20 µg) given parenterally uniformly caused an increase in liver weight and intestinal loop weight. The increase in intestinal loop weight is not due solely to ‘back pressure’ from the liver, since this response was also noted in the dog with an Eck fistula. Norepinephrine (20 µg) caused a decrease in liver and intestinal loop weight. Epinephrine (20 µg) caused a biphasic response in weight of the intestine (a decrease followed by an increase). A biphasic response was noted in three of seven animals in which liver weight was measured and an increase only in the remaining four animals.