Vn. Mutafovayambolieva et al., COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF THE ANTICHOLINESTERASE DRUG GALANTHAMINE ON THE MECHANICAL-ACTIVITY OF ISOLATED RAT JEJUNUM AND ILEUM, General pharmacology, 24(5), 1993, pp. 1253-1256
1. The effects of cumulatively applied galanthamine hydrobromide (0.1-
300 muM) on the mechanical activity of isolated proximal jejunum and d
istal ileum were studied. 2. Galanthamine was found to increase the sp
ontaneous mechanical activity and exert by itself an enhancement of th
e smooth muscle tone in the two segments, both effects being more pron
ounced in ileum than in jejunum. 3. The galanthamine-induced augmentat
ion of the spontaneous mechanical activity was tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sens
itive, whereas the contractile effect of the drug on the tone was TTX-
insensitive in both segments. 4. The present results showed not only q
uantitative differences in the tonic effects of galanthamine in both i
ntestinal segments but they suggest some qualitative differences in ch
olinergic neuronal control along the gastro-intestinal tract.