Stimulant action of pethidine on the pregnant rat uterus in-vitro.

Pethidine's stimulant action on the 22-day pregnant rat isolated uterus does not involve receptors sensitive to methysergide and is unlikely to involve the synthesis and release of endogenous prostaglandins. The sensitivity of pethidine-induced contractions to verapamil suggests that mobilization of extracellular calcium is necessary for pethidine's action.