Actions of acetylcholine and carbachol on the chick biventer cervicis muscle

1. The possibility that carbachol may act on the chick biventer cervicis muscle by releasing acetylcholine was investigated.2. Log dose-response curves for acetylcholine and carbachol were constructed in the presence of triethylcholine, tubocurarine and physostigmine, in both innervated and denervated chick biventer cervicis muscles.3. The log dose-response curve for acetylcholine was shallower than that for carbachol and was moved to the left by triethylcholine, indicating potentiation. In the presence of physostigmine, the curve was as steep as that for carbachol, and like that for carbachol was moved to the right by triethylcholine, indicating antagonism. In the presence of tubocurrine, the log dose-response curves for both acetylcholine and carbachol were moved to the right.4. The log dose-response curves for both acetylcholine and carbachol were moved to the left by chronic denervation, indicating increased sensitivity to these drugs. Both curves were moved similar distances to the right by excess magnesium ion concentration. No tachyphylaxis developed to repeated administration of carbachol in the presence of triethylcholine or tubocurarine, either in innervated or denervated muscles.5. It was concluded that the main action of triethylcholine in the chick biventer cervicis muscle is a tubocurarine-like action, which, in the presence of acetylcholine, is masked by a weak anticholinesterase action. It was also concluded that the diminished response to carbachol in the presence of triethylcholine is due to the postjunctional blocking action of triethylcholine, and that carbachol owes none of its activity to an ability to release acetylcholine from the nerve terminals.