OBJECTIVEUsing an experimental model of animals exposed to cold to evaluate the regulative effects of prazosin hydrochloride (Pra) and racanisodamine (Ani) on extremital skin temperature of rats and mice.

METHODSEighty animals were randomly divided into eight groups according to the drug dosage. After been administered with drugs by intragastric at room temperature for 60 min, the animals were moved into specified temperature (5 degrees C,18 degrees C) environment and the skin temperatures at the 1/3 site at the proximal end of tail were measured by infrared camera on 180 min and 300 min. Effects of drug were evaluated by changes in tail skin temperatures.

RESULTSPra and Ani combination raised the extremital skin temperature of experimental animals significantly in a dose-dependent manner, while single use of Pra was not potent to rats and less potent to mice, and single use of Ani could not raise extremital skin temperature of both rats and mice. Change of rectal temperature in mice showed that Pra and Ani combination did not affect core temperature.

CONCLUSIONPra and Ani combination could significantly raise extremital skin temperature of rats and mice exposed to cold, and would not affect their core (rectal) temperature.