EFFECT OF PHYSOSTIGMINE AND EXERCISE ON CHOLINE-ACETYLTRANSFERASE ANDACETYLCHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITIES IN FAST AND SLOW MUSCLES OF RAT

The interaction of physostigmine (Phy) and exercise on cholineacetyltr ansferase (ChAT) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) have been studied in the fast extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and slow soleus muscles of ra t. ChAT decreased significantly by trained exercise in EDL muscle and Phy prolonged this effect even up to 24 h. Soleus muscles showed a sma ll increase of ChAT due to exercise but Phy + exercise did not change significantly. Both EDL and soleus showed a marked decrease in AChE ac tivity due to subacute administration of Phy + trained exercise, exhib iting an additive effect. No recovery was observed in ChAT and AChE ac tivities of EDL even after 24 h in Phy + trained exercise group. Our r esults suggest that Phy and exercise has significant effect on the syn thetic (ChAT) and degradative (AChE) enzymes of acetylcholine in activ e EDL muscle. Exercise has prolonged the inhibitory effect of Phy on C hAT and AChE activities both in active EDL and passive soleus muscles. This study showed that Phy + exercise modified the functional activit y of cholinergic system in EDL and soleus muscles.