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Nicotine from cigarette smoking enhances clonidine‐induced increase of serum growth hormone concentrations in men.
Author(s) -
Coiro V,
d'Amato L,
Borciani E,
Rossi G,
Camellini L,
Maffei ML,
Pignatti D,
Chiodera P
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
british journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.216
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1365-2125
pISSN - 0306-5251
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1984.tb02547.x
Subject(s) - clonidine , endocrinology , nicotine , medicine , agonist , stimulation , adrenergic , stimulant , cholinergic , hormone , receptor
In order to determine whether nicotine exerts its stimulant effect on serum concentrations of growth hormone (GH) by interacting with an adrenergic pathway, we evaluated the effect of cigarette smoking on the response of GH to the administration of clonidine, a specific alpha‐ adrenoceptor agonist. In six normal volunteers, clonidine significantly increased serum levels of GH. When subjects smoked two non‐filter cigarettes, GH response to the alpha‐adrenoceptor agonist was greatly enhanced. These findings suggest that in man nicotinic cholinergic and adrenergic mechanisms might interact in the stimulation of GH secretion.