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British Journal of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy logoLink to British Journal of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy
. 1962 Apr;18(2):397–404. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1962.tb01419.x

Action of nicotine on the rabbit muscular organ (ileo-colic sphincter)

R J Jarrett
PMCID: PMC1482130  PMID: 14451341

Abstract

The effects of nicotine on the longitudinal muscle of the rabbit muscular organ (ileo-colic sphincter) have been studied. Nicotine in doses from 1 to 10 μg/ml. inhibits the pendular movements of the muscle. This inhibition can also be produced by acetylcholine in the presence of atropine. In both instances, the inhibitory effect can be blocked by ephedrine, hexamethonium and bretylium. Doses of hexamethonium which block the inhibitory action of nicotine reveal an excitatory action, which itself can be blocked by higher doses of hexamethonium. Bretylium blocks both actions of nicotine at the same dose level. It is suggested that nicotine produces inhibition by releasing catechol amines, the site of action being a cholinergic junction between sympathetic nerve and catechol amine store, and further that bretylium blocks the action of acetylcholine and nicotine at this site as well as at the parasympathetic ganglia.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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