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Functional role of cholinergic drugs on spontaneous muscular activity in the amphistome Gastrothylax crumenifer from ruminants

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2009

P.K. Verma*
Affiliation:
Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly243 122 (UP), India
D. Kumar
Affiliation:
Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly243 122 (UP), India
S.K. Tandan
Affiliation:
Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly243 122 (UP), India

Abstract

Acetylcholine is the major endogenous classical neurotransmitter in the central and peripheral nervous system of trematodes and mammals. This study investigates the effects of cholinergic drugs on muscle activity in the amphistome, Gastrothylax crumenifer. In the present investigation, acetylcholine (10− 7–10− 3 m) did not produce any marked effect, whereas carbachol (10− 7–10− 3 m) elicited a concentration-dependent decrease in amplitude, baseline tension and frequency of contractions as compared to the control. Nicotine (10− 7–10− 3 m) produced a significant decrease in the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous muscular activity in a concentration-dependent manner, as compared to control amplitude (0.5 ± 0.01 g) and frequency (58.5 ± 3.45 per 5 min). However, the baseline tension was also reduced significantly by 10− 3 m nicotine. Atropine (10− 7–10− 3 m) elicited a concentration-dependent increase in amplitude and baseline tension, whereas there was no significant effect on the frequency of the spontaneous contractions of rumen flukes. These observations indicate that G. crumenifer has an inhibitory cholinergic system and that the inhibitory activity of nicotine is more pronounced than that of carbachol or acetylcholine.

Type
Research Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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