The effect of amitriptyline, mianserin, and viloxazine at pre- and post-junctional muscarinic receptors in guinea-pig ileal longitudinal muscle.

The antimuscarinic activity of amitriptyline, mianserin, and viloxazine was compared with atropine in guinea-pig ileal longitudinal muscle. The pA2 values obtained using carbachol (CCh) as agonist were as follows: atropine, 9.55; amitriptyline, 7.50; mianserin, 6.40; and viloxazine, 4.91. Responses to transmural electrical stimulation (1-50 Hz) were more resistant than those produced by CCh to inhibition by atropine and the antidepressants. This did not appear to be due to a selective inhibition of prejunctional inhibitory muscarinic receptors, as a pA2 of 8.73 was obtained with atropine for the depression of oxotremorine-induced inhibition of acetylcholine (ACh) output. Amitriptyline (10 micrometers) caused a 2.4-fold increase in ACh output and was 200-fold weaker than atropine at doubling ACh output in the longitudinal muscle stimulated at 0.3 Hz. Mianserin (10 micrometers) and viloxazine (1-10 micrometers) did not significantly affect ACh output. It is suggested that the antidepressants exhibits a greater affinity for the postjunctional muscarinic receptors in the guinea-pig ileal longitudinal muscle.