THE ACTION OF TACRINE ON NEUROMUSCULAR TRANSMISSION: A COMPARISON WITH HEXAFLUORENIUM

The action of tacrine has been studied in man, in the cat, andin vitro on a frog nerve-muscle preparation. The study showsthat tacrine possesses both anticholinesterase and neuromuscularblocking actions. In contradistinction to hexafluorenium, tacrinedoes not potentiate the neuromuscular blocking action of suxamethoniumat the neuromuscular junction. For this reason, in the intactanimal, the potentiation of the blocking action of suxamethoniumby tacrine pretreatment must depend largely on the capacityof this drug to inhibit plasma cholinesterase.