The influence of temperature and calcium concentration on the myoneural effect of antibiotics.

To obtain information on the sites and mechanisms of the myoneural effect of aminoglycoside and polypeptide type antibiotics, the influence of neomycin, streptomycin, gentamicin and polymyxin B on the depression of the force of contraction (P) of the rat phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm preparation was investigated at 37 degrees C, 27 degrees C or 17 degrees C and also at 37 degrees C in electrolyte solutions containing 2.5, 1.25 or 0.625 mM CaCl2. Decreasing the temperature or the CaCl2 concentration ((CaCl2)o) of the bath significantly (p less than 0.001) decreased P. The depressant effect of aminoglycosides on P (about 50% of control at 17 degrees C) was increased more with lower temperatures than that of polymyxin B (about 20%). The effect of lowering the (CaCl2)o on the depression of P (about 90% of control at the lowest (CaCl2)o) was about the same with the 4 antibiotics. The development of the maximal effect and the recovery of P after washout was slower with polymyxin B than with the 3 aminoglycosides. 4-Aminopyridine antagonized the depression of P caused by polymyxin B less than that caused by aminoglycosides. The findings suggest that aminoglycosides depress myoneural activity primarily by inhibiting stimulated release of ACh. Polymyxin B also inhibits ACh release, but inhibition of the contraction of myofibrils contributes more significantly to its myoneural effects than with aminoglycosides. It is conceivable that blocking of the ionophores of the postjunctional membrane also contributes to the myoneural effects of polymyxin B.