Reversible depression of electrically-induced contractions of guinea pig longitudinal muscle by a reversible inhibitor of prostaglandin synthetase.

The pesticide chlordimeform (CDM) depressed the electrically-induced twitch responses of the guinea pig longitudinal muscle ED50 = 3 X 10(-5)M). Naloxone reversed twitch depression induced by morphine but not by CDM. Phentolamine reversed twitch depression induced by either norepinephrine or clonidine, but not by CDM. PGE2 completely reversed twitch depression induced by either CDM or indomethacin, but only partially reversed twitch depression induced by lidocaine. The actions of CDM best resemble those of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents. The reversibility of the CDM depression by washing indicates that the guinea pig ileal preparation is a convenient screen for distinguishing reversible from irreversible inhibitors of prostaglandin biosynthesis.