The effect of tacrine on acetylcholine overflow in the heart

Tacrine, 10(-6) M, enhanced the acetylcholine (ACh) overflow evoked in perfused chicken hearts by field stimulation (5 Hz, 1 min) from 183 to 346 pmol g-1 min-1. Increase to the same level were observed after pretreatment with diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) as well as after DFP plus 10(-6) M tacrine. Tacrine, 10(-5) M, caused further enhancement with or without DFP up to 851 pmol g-1 min-1. It was concluded that 10(-6) M tacrine enhanced the ACh overflow by choline esterase inhibition, whereas 10(-5) M tacrine caused, in addition, an increase of neuronal ACh release.