The effects of protoveratrine and germines on the release of acetylcholine from the Auerbach plexus of the guinea-pig ileum.

The effect of protoveratrine A and germine-3-acetate (GMA) on the release mechanism of acetylcholine from the nerve terminals of the Auerbach plexus in the longitudinal muscle layer of the guinea-pig ileum was studied. Protoveratrine A, GMA and germine potentiated neuroeffector transmission in Auerbach's plexus in the longitudinal muscle preparation provided the neurons were stimulated at low frequencies (less than 10 Hz). Protoveratrine A and GMA enhanced the release of acetylcholine from the nerve terminals during the resting period and at low frequency of stimulation (less than 10 Hz). At continous stimulation with high frequency they were ineffective (greater than 10 Hz). When trains of 20 stimuli, with a pulse interval of 0.1 s (10 Hz) were repeatedly applied with intervals of 0.1 to 20 s between trains, the effect of GMA to increase ACh release depended on the length of the train interval; the longer the resting period between trains the higher was the output of ACh. This fact indicates that the release of ACh increased primarily during the resting periods following single stimuli or trains. The effect of GMA on ACh release proved to be highly temperature-dependent: in the presence of GMA Q10 increasing from 3.25 to 4.92. A high Ca concentration, removal of Mg or lowering of the Na concentration abolished the effect of GMA to enhance ACh release.