Neuromuscular blocking agents inhibit receptor‐mediated increases in the potassium permeability of intestinal smooth muscle

1 The neuromuscular blocking agents tubocurarine, atracurium and pancuronium have been tested for their ability to inhibit receptor‐mediated increases in the K+ permeability of intestinal smooth muscle. 2 All three agents, as well as the bee venom peptide apamin, reduced both the resting efflux of 8...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:British journal of pharmacology 1985-12, Vol.86 (4), p.861-868
Main Authors: Gater, P.R., Haylett, D.G., Jenkinson, D.H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adrenergic alpha-Agonists - pharmacology
Anesthetics. Neuromuscular blocking agents
Animals
Apamin - pharmacology
Atracurium
Biological and medical sciences
Bradykinin - pharmacology
Calcium - physiology
Cecum - drug effects
Cecum - physiology
Drug Interactions
Duodenum - drug effects
Duodenum - physiology
Ethanolamines - pharmacology
Guinea Pigs
In Vitro Techniques
intestine
Isoquinolines - pharmacology
Medical sciences
Muscle Contraction - drug effects
Muscle, Smooth - drug effects
Muscle, Smooth - physiology
Neuromuscular Blocking Agents - pharmacology
neuromuscular junctions
Neuropharmacology
Pancuronium - pharmacology
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Physalaemin - pharmacology
potassium
Potassium - metabolism
Potassium Channels
Rabbits
Receptors, Neurotransmitter
smooth muscle
Tubocurarine - pharmacology
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Summary:1 The neuromuscular blocking agents tubocurarine, atracurium and pancuronium have been tested for their ability to inhibit receptor‐mediated increases in the K+ permeability of intestinal smooth muscle. 2 All three agents, as well as the bee venom peptide apamin, reduced both the resting efflux of 86Rb and the increase in efflux caused by the application of either bradykinin (1 μM) or an α1‐adrenoceptor agonist, amidephrine (20 μM), to depolarized strips of guinea‐pig taenia caeci. This suggested that, like apamin, the neuromuscular blocking agents inhibit the Ca2+‐dependent K+ permeability (PK(Ca)) mechanism which in this tissue is activated by a variety of membrane receptors. 3 The concentrations (IC50s) of atracurium, pancuronium and (+)‐tubocurarine which reduced the effect of amidephrine on 86Rb efflux by 50% were 12, 37 and 67 μM respectively. 4 Also in keeping with an ability to block PK(Ca), the neuromuscular blockers and apamin reduced the inhibition by amidephrine and bradykinin of physalaemin‐mediated contractions of the taenia caeci. The IC50 values were 15, 31 and 120 μM for atracurium, tubocurarine and pancuronium respectively, and 2.3 nM for apamin. 5 Each of the neuromuscular blockers, and apamin, increased the spontaneous contractions of the rabbit duodenum and blocked the inhibitory effect of amidephrine thereon. 6 It is concluded that the PK(Ca) mechanism in the longitudinal smooth muscle of the intestine resembles that of hepatocytes and sympathetic ganglion cells in its susceptibility to inhibition by neuromuscular blocking agents, as well as by apamin.
ISSN:0007-1188
1476-5381
DOI:10.1111/j.1476-5381.1985.tb11108.x