Effect of 1DMe, a neuropeptide FF analog, on acetylcholine release from myenteric plexus of guinea pig ileum

Since neuropeptide FF (NPFF) is a putative neurotransmitter to exert anti-opioid activity, we examined the effects of [D-Tyr', (NMe)Phe3]neuropeptide FF (IDMe), a stable NPFF analog, on acetylcholine (ACh) release from a longitudinal muscle-myenteric plexus (LMMP) preparation of guinea pig ileum in which opioids were known to inhibit ACh release when muscarinic autoinhibition was not fully activated. In the presence of atropine, 1DMe increased spontaneous and electrical field stimulation (EFS)-evoked ACh release in a concentration-dependent manner. Naloxone also increased ACh release. The stimulatory effects of 1DMe and naloxone were not additive. In the absence of atropine, 1DMe did not affect ACh release. Morphine decreased spontaneous and EFS-evoked ACh release in the presence of 1 microM atropine. 1DMe as well as naloxone counteracted the inhibitory effects of morphine on EFS-evoked ACh release. The combination of 1DMe and naloxone was not more inhibitory than either drug alone. 1DMe had no appreciable effect on norepinephrine-induced inhibition of spontaneous and EFS-evoked ACh release. These results first demonstrated the effects of a NPFF analog on neurotransmitter release: 1DMe had a stimulatory effect on spontaneous and EFS-induced ACh release from the LMMP preparation of guinea pig ileum, probably by counteracting the inhibitory effect of endogenous opioids on ACh release.     

Effects of Weichang'an Pill on contraction of isolated ileum smooth muscles in rats北大核心CSCD

目的研究胃肠安丸(Weichang′an pill,WCA)、胃肠安丸醇提物(Ethanol extract of Weichang′an pill,EE)、胃肠安丸水提物(Water extract of Weichang′an pill,WE)及其活性成分对乙酰胆碱(Acetylcholine,ACh)诱导的大鼠离体回肠平滑肌收缩的影响及机制。方法采用离体组织浴实验,在ACh的作用下,加入WCA、EE、WE或其活性成分,记录离体大鼠回肠平滑肌的收缩张力;通过分子对接的方法探究活性成分与毒蕈碱型乙酰胆碱M3受体的结合亲和力。结果WCA、EE、WE均可明显抑制ACh诱导的回肠平滑肌兴奋性收缩。活性成分木香烃内酯、去氢木香内酯、檀香醇、麝香酮、大黄素、大黄酚、大黄素甲醚、巴豆苷、厚朴酚及和厚朴酚也对ACh诱导的回肠平滑肌收缩有明显的抑制作用。结论WCA、EE、WE及其活性成分可能通过阻断回肠平滑肌细胞膜上的M3受体与ACh的结合,发挥促进肠平滑肌松弛的作用。     

Modulation by acetylcholine of the electrically-evoked release of [3H]-acetylcholine from the ileum of the guinea-pig.

1 Acetylcholine (ACh) stores within neurones of the myenteric plexus of the guinea-pig were labelled with [3H]-choline and the influence of unlabelled ACh, atropine, or atropine and unlabelled ACh on the electrically-evoked output of [3H]-ACh was evaluated. 2 Electrical transmural stimulation (5 Hz) of the ileum led to an increase in the output of [3H]-ACh over that released spontaneously. Superfusion with unlabelled ACh (6.8 microM) caused a marked reduction in the release of [3H]-ACh which was reversed by atropine (3.5 microM). Atropine itself had no effect on the electrically-evoked [3H]-ACh. 3 These experiments provide further evidence for the existence in the guinea-pig ileum of neuronal muscarinic receptors for ACh subserving an inhibitory role on transmitter release.     

Methylisogermabullone isolated from radish roots stimulates small bowel motility via activation of acetylcholinergic receptors

We have previously reported that extract of radish roots exhibits an increase in gastrointestinal motility through the activation of muscarinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors. Based on the stimulatory activity-guided fractionation on rat ileal segments, this study isolated methylisogermabullone (MIGB, C23H31O5NS, MW 433) from methanol extracts of radish roots. MIGB caused a significant increase of the isolated rat ileal contraction in a concentration-dependent manner (23-693 microM), and the pattern of MIGB-induced ileal contraction was different in the time course to that produced by ACh. The EC50 value of MIGB, to produce 50% maximum ileal contraction, was estimated to be 45.5 microM. MIGB (230 microM)-induced ileal contractions were enhanced by pretreatment of segments with ACh (0.1 microM). Ileal contractions produced by MIGB (230 microM) or ACh (0.1 microM) at submaximal concentration were partially inhibited by pretreatment of hexamethonium (0.1 mM), a ganglionic blocker, whereas they were almost completely abolished by atropine (10 microM). Oral administration of MIGB to mice stimulated the small intestinal transit of charcoal in a dose-dependent manner (10-100 mg kg(-1)), and MIGB (100 mg kg(-1))-induced stimulation of small intestinal transit was significantly attenuated by co-administration of atropine (50 mg kg(-1)). Taken together, these results demonstrate that MIGB isolated from radish roots stimulates the small bowel motility through the activation of ACh receptors. These findings suggest that MIGB may become a potential regulatory agent for therapeutic intervention in dysfunction of gastrointestinal motility.     

Possible mechanism of the dual action of the new polypeptide (anthopleurin-B) from sea anemone in the isolated ileum and taenia caeci of the guinea-pig.

1 Anthopleurin-B (AP-B), a newly isolated polypeptide from a sea anemone (Anthopleura xanthogrammica) caused relaxation of the guinea-pig isolated ileum following a transient contraction at concentrations greater than 3 x 10(-9) M. 2 AP-B caused a tonic contraction followed by rhythmic relaxation of the guinea-pig isolated taenia caeci at a concentration of 3 x 10(-9) M or more. 3 The other polypeptides, anthopleurin-A (AP-A) from the same species of anthopleurin-C (AP-C) from Anthopleura elegantissima elicited similar effects but higher concentrations were required in both tissues. 4 These responses induced by AP-B in both tissues were abolished by treatment of each tissue with tetrodotoxin or incubation in a low-Na+ medium. 5 In the ileum, the AP-B-induced contraction was markedly inhibited by atropine but not by mecamylamine, whereas the AP-B-induced relaxation was not affected by phentolamine of guanethidine. 6 The AP-B-induced contraction of the taenia caeci was also inhibited by atropine, but not mecamylamine. However, in contrast to the ileum, the spontaneous relaxation of this tissue was completely abolished in the presence of phentolamine or guanethidine. 7 These results suggest that the AP-B-induced contractions of both tissues are mainly caused by acetylcholine (ACh) release from the cholinergic nerve terminals and that the AP-B-induced relaxation of the taenia caeci is due to the excitation of adrenergic nerves, while the relaxation of the ileum is mediated through non-adrenergic inhibitory mechanisms.     

Pharmacological action of cattle prostate extracts (PE). V. Effect on the bladder]

As the extract of cattle prostate (PE) is clinically effective in treating prostatic hypertrophy, a study was carried out on urinary bladders of rat, guinea pig, rabbit and dog as well as on guinea pig ileum. Muscle strip of rat and/or dog bladder contracted with PE with increasing spontaneous movement, and was unaffected by atropine. The isolated ileum of guinea pig also contracted with PE, and the contraction was inhibited by papaverine, but not by atropine. A rise in intravesical pressure was observed with increasing spontaneous movement in guinea pig bladder treated with PE, as well as in rabbit bladder in vitro or in situ. The sphincter vesica of guinea pig was dilated by PE as well as by ACh and methacholine.     

Dual effect of N-methyl-N-(1-methyl-4-pyrolidino)-2-butyl)acetamide on release of (3H)-acetylcholine from the rat hippocampal slices

The effect of muscarinic cholinergic drugs on (3H)-acetylcholine [3H)-Ach) release from slices of rat hippocampus was investigated either in the presence of eserine or hemicholinium-3 (HC-3), 10 microM each. BM-5 (N-methyl-N-(1-methyl-4-pyrolidino-2-butyl)acetamide) is a partial muscarinic cholinergic agonist. Like oxotremorine, BM-5 significantly (p less than 0.012) decreased the release of (3H)-Ach in the presence of HC-3. In the presence of eserine, (3H)-Ach release was significantly (p less than 0.001) enhanced both by atropine and BM-5. The decrease or increase in release of (3H)-Ach by BM-5, in the presence of HC-3 or eserine, respectively, may be due to its partial agonist effect on hippocampal muscarinic cholinergic receptors.     

Co-axial bioassay of a smooth muscle relaxant factor released from guinea-pig tracheal epithelium.

1. The ability of guinea-pig trachea to release an epithelium-derived relaxant factor (EpDRF) was assessed in a co-axial bioassay system. 2. Histamine (100 microM) and methacholine (25 microM) caused endothelium-dependent relaxation of rat isolated aorta, presumably via the release of endothelium-derived relaxant factor (EDRF). In contrast, endothelium-denuded rat aorta did not relax in response to these agents. 3. EDRF release was detected in response to methacholine in a co-axial bioassay system, consisting of intact rabbit aorta tube (EDRF donor) and endothelium-denuded rat aorta strip (assay preparation). These results indicated the transfer of EDRF from a donor to an assay preparation, thereby validating the co-axial bioassay method. 4. Substitution of endothelium-intact rabbit aorta tube by epithelium-intact guinea-pig tracheal tube tissue in co-axial assemblies, still allowed the assay preparation to relax in response to histamine or methacholine. Removal of the intact tracheal tube from the system, or removal of the epithelium from the donor tracheal tube in co-axial preparations, abolished such relaxant responses. These observations are consistent with histamine- or methacholine-induced release of an epithelium-derived relaxant factor (EpDRF) from the trachea. 5. In the co-axial assembly comprising intact guinea-pig trachea and endothelium-denuded rat aorta, histamine and methacholine produced concentration-dependent, EpDRF-induced aortic relaxation. Mean concentrations of histamine and methacholine producing 50% of the maximum relaxation (EC50) were 39.8 microM and 2.7 microM respectively. Histamine-induced relaxation was inhibited in the presence of mepyramine (2 microM) and responses to methacholine were inhibited by atropine (0.1 microM).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Dose-dependent cardiovascular and neuromuscular effects of stonefish (Synanceja trachynis) venom.

There has been recent debate regarding the labile nature of stonefish venoms and the pharmacology of their breakdown products. The present study examined the cardiovascular and neuromuscular effects of lyophilised venom, and conducted a preliminary investigation of freshly milked venom. Lyophilised venom (20 microg/ml) caused endothelium-dependent relaxation in rat aortae that was abolished by atropine (0.1 microM). In contrast, an endothelium-independent contractile response occurred in porcine coronary arteries. However, in the presence of atropine (10 nM), this became a relaxation response which was attenuated by the B2 antagonist FR-173657 (0.1 microM) or by a combination of idazoxan (1 microM) and propranolol (1 microM). In rat isolated atria, lyophilised venom (4 microg/ml) caused a biphasic inotropic response consisting of an initial decrease, and then increase, in force which were attenuated by atropine (0.5 microM) and propranolol (5 microM), respectively. The increase in force produced by venom was unaffected by reserpine pre-treatment suggesting a direct action at adrenoceptors. In the anaesthetised rat, lyophilised venom (1-300 microg/kg, i.v.), caused a dose-dependent depressor response, with a subsequent pressor response at higher concentrations (30-300 microg/kg, i.v.). In the presence of atropine (1 mg/kg, i.v.), the depressor response to venom was abolished, a transient pressor response unmasked and the secondary pressor response augmented. In the additional presence of prazosin (50 microg/kg, i.v.), the transient pressor response was abolished and the secondary pressor response attenuated. Lyophilised venom had no significant effect on nerve-evoked (10 microg/ml) or directly-evoked (100 microg/ml) twitches of the chick biventer cervicis muscle preparation. Milked venom (1 microl/ml) caused a biphasic response (i.e., an initial relaxation followed by contraction) in rat aortae, a contraction in porcine coronary arteries, complete cessation of rat isolated atrial activity and markedly inhibited both nerve-evoked and directly-evoked twitches of the chick biventer cervicis muscle preparation. In the anaesthetised rat, milked venom (15 microl/kg, i.v.) caused immediate cardiovascular collapse. It appears that the cardiovascular effects of stonefish venom are mediated by a dose-dependent action at muscarinic receptors and adrenoceptors.     

Prejunctional muscarinic inhibitory control of acetylcholine release in the human isolated detrusor: involvement of the M4 receptor subtype

1. Experiments were carried out in human detrusor strips to characterize muscarinic receptor subtypes involved in the prejunctional regulation of acetylcholine (ACh) release from cholinergic nerve terminals, and in the postjunctional smooth muscle contractile response. 2. In detrusor strips preincubated with [3H]-choline, electrical field stimulation (600 pulses) delivered in six trains at 10 Hz produced a tritium outflow and a contractile response. In the presence of 10 microM paraoxon (to prevent ACh degradation) the tritium outflow was characterized by HPLC analysis as [3H]-ACh (76%) and [3H]-choline (24%). 3. Electrically-evoked [3H]-ACh release was abolished by tetrodotoxin (TTX: 300 nM) and unaffected by hexamethonium (10 microM), indicating a postganglionic event. It was reduced by physostigmine (100 nM) and the muscarinic receptor agonist, muscarone (10 nM-1 microM), and enhanced by atropine (0.1-100 nM). These findings indicate the presence of a muscarinic negative feedback mechanism controlling ACh release. 4. The effects of various subtype-preferring muscarinic receptor antagonists were evaluated on [3H]-ACh release and muscle contraction. The rank potency (-log EC50) orders at pre- and postjunctional level were: atropine > or = 4-diphenyl-acetoxy-N-piperidine (4-DAMP) > mamba toxin 3 (MT-3) > tripitramine > para-fluorohexahydrosiladiphenidol (pF-HHSiD) > or = methoctramine > or = pirenzepine > tripinamide, and atropine > or = 4-DAMP > pF-HHSiD > pirenzepine = tripitramine > tripinamide > methoctramine > MT-3, respectively. 5. The comparison of pre- and post-junctional potencies and the relationship analysis with the affinity constants at human cloned muscarinic receptor subtypes indicates that the muscarinic autoreceptor inhibiting ACh release in human detrusor is an M4 receptor, while the receptor involved in muscular contraction belongs to the M3 subtype.     

Pharmacological studies of jumper ant (Myrmecia pilosula) venom: evidence for the presence of histamine, and haemolytic and eicosanoid-releasing factors.

Jumper ant venom was prepared by extraction of venom sacs in distilled water and centrifugation to remove insoluble material. Jumper ant venom (2 micrograms/ml) produced a biphasic response on isolated guinea-pig ileum, i.e. an initial rapid contraction followed by a slower prolonged contraction. The histamine antagonist mepyramine (0.1 microM) inhibited the first phase of this response by greater than 90%. In the isolated rat stomach fundus strip (which is insensitive to histamine), jumper ant venom (6 micrograms/ml) produced only a single contraction. No tachyphylaxis was observed to repeated doses of jumper ant venom in guinea-pig ileum or rat fundus strip. Responses to jumper ant venom of the egg-albumin-sensitised guinea-pig ileum were not significantly different before and after an in vitro anaphylactic response induced by egg albumin (0.5 mg/ml). Fluorometric assay revealed a mean value of 0.9 +/- 0.2% of the dry weight as histamine in jumper ant venom. Both the lipoxygenase/cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor BW755C and the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin significantly inhibited the second phase response to jumper ant venom of the guinea-pig ileum, and the response of the rat fundus strip. The muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine (0.1 microM), the bradykinin antagonist [Thi5,8,D-Phe7]-bradykinin (10 microM) and the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor captopril (20 microM) did not affect either phase of the venom response in guinea-pig ileum. Jumper ant venom caused haemolysis of guinea-pig blood. The degree of haemolysis was significantly reduced when boiled venom was used. These results suggest that jumper ant venom contains histamine and may cause the release of cyclo-oxygenase products. It also contains a heat-sensitive haemolytic factor.     

Effect of oxybutynin hydrochloride on isolated smooth muscles (ileum, urinary bladder and urethra)

Effects of oxybutynin hydrochloride on isolated smooth muscle were investigated in preparations of isolated rabbit bladder body, bladder base, collum vesicae and urethra. ACh produced a marked contraction of the preparation from the bladder body and produced no response in the collum vesicae and the urethra; however, NE caused a marked contraction of the preparations from the collum vesicae and the urethra and relaxation in the bladder body. Oxybutynin and papaverine hardly had any effect on these preparations. Effects of oxybutynin on the contractile response of the isolated ileum or urinary bladder of rabbit, guinea pig and rat in comparison with atropine, papaverine, flavoxate and other drugs were investigated. The responsibility of these preparations to ACh were approximately 100 times higher in the ileum than in the urinary bladder. Oxybutynin showed a competitive inhibition to contractile response induced by ACh in the ileum and urinary bladder, whose potency was about 1/7-1/10 that of atropine. In the ileum of rats which were treated with oxybutynin orally at a dose of 1, 10 or 100 mg/kg for 60 days, the response to ACh in the preparations of the animals treated by 100 mg/kg were decreased, but the anticholinergic action in the groups treated with oxybutynin were not significantly different compared with the nontreated or saline treated group. On the other hand, oxybutynin showed a non-competitive inhibition to contractile response induced by Ba2+, Ca2+ and histamine in the guinea pig ileum and Ba2+, high-K+, Ca2+ and ATP in the rabbit urinary bladder. These potencies of oxybutynin were equal or slightly stronger than that of papaverine or flavoxate. However, oxybutynin had no effect on the contraction induced by NE in the rabbit urethra. The above results suggest that oxybutynin has atropine-like anticholinergic action and direct muscle relaxant action evidenced by non-competitive inhibition to contractile response induced by several agonists.     

Modulation of 5-HT4 receptor function in the rat isolated ileum by fluoxetine: the involvement of endogenous 5-hydroxytryptamine

The effect of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine was examined on the 5-HT4 receptor-mediated relaxation in the rat isolated ileum. Fluoxetine unsurmountably antagonized the relaxation to exogenous 5-HT with abolition of the response at 10 microM. Fluoxetine (10 microM) also caused a gradual loss of the resting tension. These effects of fluoxetine were prevented by a prior addition of the 5-HT4 receptor selective antagonist GR113808 (100 nM), which itself caused a contraction of the tissues when administered alone. Fluoxetine (10 microM) also failed to prevent the relaxation due to exogenous 5-HT and the 5-HT4 receptor agonist 5-methoxytryptamine in tissues taken from the rats treated with para-chlorophenylalanine (300 mg kg-1) for 3 and 6 days, which reduced the 5-HT level in the mucosa by 88 and 97.5% respectively. The contraction of the tissues with GR113808 indicates the presence of an endogenous 5-HT tone at the 5-HT4 receptor in the rat ileum. It is hypothesized that in the presence of fluoxetine, the concentration of endogenous 5-HT at the receptor was increased sufficiently to reduce or abolish the relaxation to 5-HT added exogenously. The inability of fluoxetine to prevent the relaxation to 5-HT in the presence of GR113808 or after the p-CPA treatment supports this hypothesis.     

Evidence for the pharmacological similarity between the central presynaptic muscarinic autoreceptor and postsynaptic muscarinic receptors.

Twenty antagonist substances with varying potencies for central and peripheral postsynaptic muscarinic receptors have been examined for effects on the central presynaptic muscarinic autoreceptor. This has been monitored by measuring the stimulating effects of the substances on acetylcholine synthesis by rat neocortical tissue prisms. Dose-response curves for selected agents showed that maximal stimulation of synthesis was to 136-140% of the value without an antagonist. At a concentration of 1 microM, 17 of the substances caused a significant increase in synthesis, whilst at 0.01 microM significant stimulation occurred with only atropine, dexetimide, N-methyl-piperdin-4-yl (R)-2-cyclohexyl-2-hydroxyl-2-phenylacetate, quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) and scopolamine. Linear regression analysis between synthesis values obtained with the substances and published data for the effects on either cholinoceptor-agonist induced contraction of guinea-pig ileum or the binding of [3H]-QNB to rat forebrain membranes gave correlation coefficients of r = 0.84 (P less than 0.01), and r = 0.75 (P less than 0.02) respectively. The results provide no indication of a pharmacological difference between the central presynaptic muscarinic autoreceptor and central and peripheral postsynaptic muscarinic receptors.     

Effect of morphine on acetylcholine content of electrically stimulated brain slices

Acetylcholine (ACh) levels were measured in guinea-pig thalamic and caudatal slices kept at rest or electrically stimulated for different times (2-30 min.). The decrease of ACh content caused by electrical pulses at 1 Hz and 2 Hz in caudate nucleus and thalamus slices, respectively, was directly related to the time of stimulation. The depletion was potentiated by HC-3 10 microM. In this condition the relationship between ACh content and time of stimulation was shifted to the left. In the presence of HC-3, Morphine (Mo) 30 microM did not affect the ACh levels of thalamic and caudatal slices kept at rest. The opioid, on the contrary, reduced the depletion of ACh caused by 10 min stimulation. Naloxone (Nx) 10 microM antagonized the opioid effect in caudate nucleus, while it increased the stimulus-induced ACh depletion in the thalamus treated with Morphine 30 microM. In conclusion, the electrically-stimulated brain tissue perfused with HC-3 may be a suitable tool to study drug effects on ACh depletion. This may offer an indirect, mirror-like evaluation of ACh apparent turnover and release. The results obtained with Mo and Nx support this statement.     

Characterization of muscarinic receptors that mediate contraction of guinea-pig isolated trachea to choline esters: effect of removing epithelium.

1. The muscarinic receptor subtype that mediates contraction of guinea-pig trachea, in the presence and absence of epithelium, to acetic and carbamic acid choline esters was determined by use of preferential muscarinic receptor antagonists: pirenzepine (M1 receptor), methoctramine (M2 receptor) and 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine (4-DAMP) (M3 receptor). 2. Acetylcholine (ACh), methacholine (MeCh), carbachol (CCh), bethanechol (BeCh) and oxotremorine induced concentration-dependent contraction of guinea-pig isolated tracheal strips in the presence and absence of epithelium. Contraction to acetic choline esters (ACh and MeCh) was augmented by removal of the epithelium, whereas contraction to carbamic acid choline esters (CCh and BeCh) and oxotremorine was not influenced by removal of the epithelium. 3. Pirenzepine, methoctramine and 4-DAMP caused parallel rightward displacements of the concentration-contraction curves to the muscarinic agonists. The pA2 values (determined from Arunlakshana-Schild graphs) for pirenzepine and 4-DAMP in guinea-pig trachea in the presence of epithelium were: ACh as the agonist, 7.6 and 9.0, respectively; CCh as the agonist, 7.6 and 9.1, respectively. The apparent pKB values for methoctramine with the same system were: ACh as the agonist, 5.6; CCh as the agonist, 5.6. Similar values were obtained with MeCh, BeCh and oxotremorine as the agonists. These values were agonist- and epithelium-independent. 4. It is concluded from the pA2 and apparent pKB values obtained for the muscarinic receptor antagonists used in this study that contraction of guinea-pig isolated trachea, with and without epithelium, to both acetic and carbamic acid choline esters is mediated via the muscarinic M3 receptor subtype.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Temperature responses in the rat and cat to cholinomimetic drugs injected into the cerebral ventricles

Changes in temperature produced by the injection into the cerebral ventricles of cholinomimetic drugs and their antagonists were investigated in cats and rats.In the cat methacholine, 100 μg, caused a rise in tempareture a rise in temperature which was reversed after pretreatment with atropine, 100 μg, produced a fall in temperature which was abolished by mecamylamine, 400 μg. The response to acetylcholine ACh, 200 μg, was small and variable and was not increased in the presence of physostigmine, 100 μg. Noracetylcholine-12, 200 μg, produced a rise in temperature.In the rat methacholine, 20 μg, produced a fall in temperature which was abolished by atropine, 40 μg. A fall in temperature produced by ACh, 20 μg, was blocked by atropine, 40 μg, but was not potentiated by physostigmine, 0.1 μg. The fall in temperature produced by nicotine, 10 μg, was inhibited by mecamylamine, 50 μg.These results suggest that central cholinergic pathways, both muscarinic and nicotinic, are involved in temperature regulation. In the cat a muscarinic pathway appears to be involved in temperature elevation but in the rat activation of the pathway appears to cause heat loss. These effects are like those of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in these species and support suggestions that 5-HT and ACh may be involved together in heat-regulating pathways.     

Facilitation of calcium-dependent cholinergic function by ucb L059, a new "second generation" nootropic agent

We have investigated the effect of piracetam (PIR) and of its structural analogs, ucb L059 and ucb L060, the optical isomer of ucb L059, on cholinergic function in the guinea pig ileum in vitro. Only ucb L059 (10 microM-10 mM) caused contraction of the ileal preparation in a dose-dependent manner. This effect was inhibited by atropine (greater than or equal to 3.2 nM), by tetrodotoxin (10 nM) and by a combined treatment of veratridine (50 nM) and hemicholinium-3 (HC-3;0.5 mM), and was potentiated by physostigmine (50 nM). Electrically evoked contractions (EEC) of guinea pig ileal preparations subjected to HC-3 (0.5 mM) followed by veratridine (50 microM) were suppressed due to depletion of acetylcholine. Choline (greater than or equal to 3.2 10(-7)M) and ucb L059 (0.1-10 mM), but not ucb L060, facilitated recovery of EEC in a dose-dependent manner. This effect was abolished by HC-3. In addition, twitch recovery was inversely related to the concentration of Ca+2 in the medium. These results indicate that ucb L059, a close structural analog of piracetam, appears to facilitate cholinergic function in vitro through a stereospecific mechanism.     

Muscarinic receptor agonist-antagonist interaction in the rat rectum: are there ways of activating the same receptors?

The interaction between the muscarinic receptor agonists, carbachol, acetylcholine (ACh) and methacholine, and antagonists, atropine, gallamine, 4-DAMP and pirenzepine, was studied on the rat isolated rectum preparation. ACh (1.93 X 10(-8)-1.95 X 10(-6) M), methacholine (8.7 X 10(-8)-1.1 X 10(-6) M) and carbachol (1.1 X 10(-7)-3.5 X 10(-6) M) induced contractions that were reversibly antagonized by atropine (1.9 X 10(-9)-4.8 X 10(-8) M), 4-DAMP (1.5 X 10(-8)-2.86 X 10(-7) M) gallamine (1.12 X 10(-6)-1.12 X 10(-4) M) and pirenzepine (2.8 X 10(-7)-7.0 X 10(-6) M). The pA2 values were atropine: 8.99 +/- 0.28, 9.29 +/- 0.14 and 8.86 +/- 0.05; 4-DAMP: 8.39 +/- 0.10, 8.66 +/- 0.15 and 8.26 +/- 0.30, gallamine: 5.85 +/- 0.23, 5.73 +/- 0.25 and 5.96 +/- 0.10 and pirenzepine: 6.85 +/- 0.44, 7.17 +/- 0.13 and 7.21 +/- 0.03 against ACh, methacholine and carbachol, respectively. The experimental dose-ratio (atropine + gallamine) was greater than the expected dose-ratio (as predicted by the Paton & Rang rule) for ACh and methacholine while the experimental dose-ratio closely approximates the expected dose-ratio for carbachol. It is suggested that atropine, 4-DAMP pirenzepine and gallamine act on the same receptors but gallamine allosterically altered the binding of the agonists and antagonists to varying extents.     

An investigation of the mechanism involved in the cholinergic action of meptazinol

In concentrations above 20 microM, (+/-)-meptazinol produced a contraction of the guinea-pig isolated ileum and this effect was antagonized by atropine (0.01 to 0.3 microM) in a manner which was not competitive. Cooling the preparation to 15 degrees C blocked the contractile action of meptazinol and of dimethylphenylpiperazinium (DMPP) but did not affect the action of carbachol. Twitch responses of the rat phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation induced by indirect electrical stimulation in the presence of naloxone (20 nM) were potentiated by meptazinol (1 to 40 microM) which also reversed a partial blockade of the twitch induced by tubocurarine. Neither of these effects was seen in tissues which had been pretreated with the cholinesterase inhibitor BW284C51 (0.2 microM) though tetraethylammonium iodide (40 microM) was still able to enhance the responses to stimulation. In the presence of naloxone (20 nM) electrically induced responses of the rat isolated rectum were abolished by cinchocaine (10 microM), partially blocked by atropine (0.1 to 0.4 microM) and potentiated by meptazinol (1 to 30 microM). The latter action was not seen when meptazinol was administered in the presence of BW284C51. It is concluded that the cholinergic action of meptazinol in these tissues is due to an indirect effect, probably involving inhibition of cholinesterase and that no evidence was seen of any ability to increase the release of acetylcholine itself.