Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 17, 2026

A Method of Nodose Ganglia Injection in Sprague-Dawley Rat
Published on: November 25, 2014
Nociceptin inhibits electric field stimulation-induced cholinergic constrictions in rat airways
1Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, China. sbms@mail.hz.zj.cn
Aim:
To study the effect of nociceptin (orphanin FQ), a newly discovered heptadecapeptide, on cholinergic constrictions in isolated trachea and bronchus of rat.
Methods:
The electric field stimulation (EFS) induced a monophasic constriction, which was due to an activation of the cholinergic nerves.
Results:
Nociceptin 0.001-0.1 mumol/L inhibited cholinergic constriction in a concentration-dependent manner. IC50 (95% of confidence limits) were 0.06 (0.04-0.08) mumol/L and 0.07 (0.05-0.1) mumol/L in tracheae and bronchi respectively. The constrictions inhibited by nociceptin 0.01 mumol/L in traheae and bronchi were (58 +/- 32)% and (60 +/- 26)% respectively compared with the control, in which nociceptin was not applied. After pretreatment with naloxone 0.1 mumol/L, the constrictions were (60 +/- 19)% and (54 +/- 20)% (P > 0.05 vs the above figures). However, the constrictions induced by exogenous acetylcholine were unaffected by nociceptin 0.01 mumol/L. kappa-Opioid receptor agonist, U-50488H (0.01-1 mumol/L) did not affect the EFS-induced cholinergic constrictions in rat airways.
Conclusion:
Nociceptin inhibits EFS-induced cholinergic constriction, which is not affected by naloxone in rat airways.
Related Concept Videos
Cholinergic Receptors: Nicotinic
There are two types of nicotinic receptors: neuromuscular (NM/NM/N1) and neuronal (NN/NN/N2). The two families differ based on their location and selectivity to...
Direct-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacological Actions
Indirect-Acting Cholinergic Agonists: Pharmacological Actions
At the neuromuscular junction, these agents work by inhibiting the breakdown of acetylcholine, allowing it to remain bound to the receptor and bind to nearby receptors. This process leads to repetitive firing of the endplate, causing muscle...
Cholinergic Antagonists: Pharmacological Actions
Gastrointestinal Effects: Antimuscarinics reduce gut contractions, increase gastric emptying, and slow intestinal transit. They partly inhibit gastric acid secretion...
Nondepolarizing (Competitive) Neuromuscular Blockers: Mechanism of Action
Competitive antagonists prevent acetylcholine from binding to its receptor, inhibiting membrane depolarization. Without conformational changes or intrinsic...
Depolarizing Blockers: Mechanism of Action
Succinylcholine is the most commonly used depolarizing blocker. Chemically, it constitutes two molecules of acetylcholine joined together by an acetate methyl group. They act on the receptors in the same way as acetylcholine. Because succinylcholine...

