Cardiovascular Pharmacology of N,N′-Bis-[α-(2-pyridyl)ethyl]-ethylenediamine Dimaleate

N,N′-Bis-[α- (2-pyridyl)ethyl]-ethylenediamine dimaleate (JB 5058), a substituted polymethylene diamine with hypotensive action, was noted to have alpha adrenergic blocking activity, as demonstrated in the cat superior cervical ganglion nictitating membrane preparation. It did not produce a centrally mediated hypotensive response in the dog cross-circulation preparation. JB 5058 produced only a transient decrease in cardiac output while increasing femoral blood flow. The hypotensive activity of JB 5058 appears to be caused by a decrease in peripheral vascular resistance primarily due to alpha adrenergic blockade. It also appears to produce a modest antagonism of angiotensin II on vascular smooth muscle.