Effect of benactyzine and arecoline on the45Ca uptake by rat brain nerve endings

The effect of the central cholinolytic benactyzine and the cholinomimetic arecoline on the uptake of⁴⁵Ca by rat brain synaptosomes was studied in vitro. Benactyzine was shown to cause biphasic changes (a decrease followed by an increase) in the intensity of uptake of the isotope, whereas arecoline led to a rapid initial increase in⁴⁵Ca uptake. Benactyzine was shown to depress the effect of arecoline and depolarization on uptake of the isotope. It is concluded that the increase in⁴⁵Ca uptake through the action of arecoline is connected with activation of Nachannels. Benactyzine, on the other hand, reduces the permeability of the these channels for⁴⁵Ca and activates the Ca-channels proper.(Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. S. Golikov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 86, No. 9, pp. 301–304, September, 1978.