A comparative study of the actions of histamine H2 receptor antagonists on transmission in the isolated superior cervical ganglion of the rat.

Ganglionic effects of the histamine H2 receptor antagonists cimetidine, ranitidine and 1-nitro-2-(2-propynylamino)-2-(2-[dimethylaminomethyl-2-furanyl) methylthiol]-ethylamino)ethylene (ORF 17578) were compared in the isolated superior cervical ganglion of the rat. Extracellular recording of compound action potentials showed that the drugs caused concentration-dependent inhibition of ganglionic transmission, as indicated by depression of the postganglionic compound action potential. Cimetidine-induced inhibition of ganglionic transmission was stimulus frequency-dependent. Increasing the Ca2+ from 2.2 to 4.4 mM in the bathing solution did not significantly affect the inhibitory actions of these agents. In the series with ranitidine, pretreatment with DFP to inhibit acetylcholinesterase similarly had no significant effect on the depression of the compound action potential by ranitidine. All three agents had little or no effect on nerve conduction in isolated vagi of the rat. The results indicate that all three histamine H2 receptor blockers inhibited ganglionic transmission, but only in large concentrations. The results also suggest that the blocking effect of these drugs was unrelated to their reported anticholinesterase action or to blockade of histamine H2 receptors, which are believed to exist on the presynaptic membrane. It is suggested that the ganglion effect may be due to the action of these agents on the acetylcholine receptor-ion channel complex in the postsynaptic membrane.