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. 1964 Apr;22(2):[415]-432, 433-440. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1964.tb02047.x

Effects of central depressant drugs upon acetylcholine release

E K Matthews, J P Quilliam
PMCID: PMC1703980  PMID: 14190477

Abstract

Several central depressant and other drugs have been examined for their effects upon acetylcholine release from the stimulated, perfused cat superior cervical ganglion and rat isolated phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparations. The acetylcholine released was assayed biologically. Amylobarbitone sodium, chloral hydrate, trichloroethanol, methylpentynol, methylpentynol carbamate, paraldehyde, procaine hydrochloride and troxidone reduced the presynaptic release of acetylcholine from the ganglion. They also exhibited a postsynaptic blocking action, this component of depressant activity being particularly prominent with paraldehyde and troxidone. Closely analogous findings were obtained at the neuromuscular junction with methylpentynol and its carbamate, paraldehyde, procaine hydrochloride, trichloroethanol and troxidone. At both sites the drug-induced depression, both of transmission and of acetylcholine output, was reversible. Whereas hexamethonium regularly blocked ganglionic transmission with no effect upon acetylcholine release, tetraethylammonium not only completely blocked ganglionic transmission but concomitantly augmented acetylcholine output. These results are discussed in relation to the electrophysiological and metabolic events associated with neuro-effector transmission.

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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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