Response of the rat ileum, uterus and vas deferens to carbachol and acetylcholine following repeated daily administration of a cholinesterase inhibitor

Abstract

1 Daily i.p. administration, for eight days, of the cholinesterase inhibitor disulfoton to rats produced mild to moderate signs of intoxication (tremors, incontinence and diarrhoea) but no deaths. 2 Segments of ileum taken from the treated rats were subsensitive to carbachol but the vas deferens and the uterus did not exhibit any change in sensitivity to carbachol. 3 The sensitivity to acetylcholine was increased in the ileum and vas deferens but not in the uterus. 4 Acetylcholinesterase activity was 60–70% inhibited in all three tissues.