The role of bronchoconstrictors in evaluating smooth muscle relaxant activity.

Several bronchoconstrictor and smooth muscle relaxant agents were studied in a dog preparation (in vivo) and on guinea pig tracheal strips (in vitro). Isoproterenol, isoetharine and N-t-butylnorepinephrine, individually, had similar dose-response curves and ED50 values when tested as antagonists of histamine and carbamylcholine-induced bronchoconstriction in dogs. Diphenhydramine, cyproheptadine, thenyldiamine, atropine and suloxifen each exhibited more selective antagonism. A ratio of anticholinergic and antihistamine ED50s was obtained in dogs and on guinea pig tracheal strips. The rank order correlation coefficient of this ratio for each drug in the two species (rs = 0.93) was highly significant. Dose-responses to smooth muscle relaxant effects of isoproterenol were obtained with several different constrictors and experimental conditions on guinea pig tracheal strips. The choice of a constrictor and experimental conditions was found to affect EC50 values. The influence of resting tension, temperature, season, dibenamine-pretreatment and manner of performing the dose-response was evaluated. Both Ba and carbamylcholine were found to be suitable constricting agents under various conditions, whereas histamine, serotonin, potassium and rubidium had more limitations and eight other inorganic ions were not suitable.