THE EFFECT OF VARIOUS CHOLINE ESTERS ON THE ADRENAL GLAND OF THE CAT

Abstract
A comparison has been made between the abilities of various choline esters to cause a release of catechol amines from the adrenal gland of the atropinised cat, anaesthetised with chloralose. It was found that repeated intravenous doses of acetylcholine, carbamylcholine or benzoylcholine, but not acetyl- β-methylcholine, caused the liberation of similar proportions of adrenaline and of noradrenaline. This was irrespective of the overall degree of depletion of the glands, which ranged from 7ṁ1 per cent to 86ṁ5 per cent. Acetylcholine and benzoyl-choline were more effective than carbamylcholine in causing a release of amines.