Adrenergic neurone blockers: reserpine: practice question

A Pharmacology question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Pharmacology · Adrenergic neurone blockers: reserpine

Sample item

A hypertensive patient has been on reserpine for several weeks. Compared with a normal subject, how will this patient respond to intravenous ephedrine and to intravenous noradrenaline?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

C. Reduced response to ephedrine and exaggerated response to noradrenaline

Reserpine blocks the vesicular monoamine transporter and depletes stores of noradrenaline, so indirect agents such as ephedrine and tyramine, which act by releasing stored amine, have little to release and produce a weak response. Receptors become supersensitive, so directly acting noradrenaline gives an exaggerated effect.

Option by option

  • A. Exaggerated response to both drugs

    Ephedrine cannot release noradrenaline that has been depleted, so its response is not enhanced.

  • B. Reduced response to both drugs

    Direct agonists are not reduced; receptor supersensitivity increases the response.

  • C. Reduced response to ephedrine and exaggerated response to noradrenaline (correct)

    Correct. Indirect agents need stores, whereas direct agonists act on supersensitive receptors.

  • D. Exaggerated response to ephedrine and reduced response to noradrenaline

    This reverses the effects: depleted stores blunt ephedrine and supersensitivity amplifies noradrenaline.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Pharmacology question

What is the answer to this Pharmacology question?

The best answer is C, Reduced response to ephedrine and exaggerated response to noradrenaline. Reserpine blocks the vesicular monoamine transporter and depletes stores of noradrenaline, so indirect agents such as ephedrine and tyramine, which act by releasing stored amine, have little to release and produce a weak response.

Why is "Exaggerated response to both drugs" not the answer?

Ephedrine cannot release noradrenaline that has been depleted, so its response is not enhanced.

Why is "Reduced response to both drugs" not the answer?

Direct agonists are not reduced; receptor supersensitivity increases the response.

Why is "Exaggerated response to ephedrine and reduced response to noradrenali…" not the answer?

This reverses the effects: depleted stores blunt ephedrine and supersensitivity amplifies noradrenaline.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Adrenergic neurone blockers: reserpine in Pharmacology. Receptors become supersensitive, so directly acting noradrenaline gives an exaggerated effect.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Adrenergic neurone blockers: reserpine?

Learn drugs as classes, then the exception in each class that an examiner would pick. Then use the flashcards and the other Pharmacology questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.