Studies of three non-peptide cholecystokinin antagonists (devazepide, lorglumide and loxiglumide) in human isolated alimentary muscle and guinea-pig ileum.

1. Three recently described non-peptide cholecystokinin (CCK) antagonists (devazepide, lorglumide, loxiglumide) have been studied for their antagonism of the contraction to cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-OP) in human alimentary muscle and guinea-pig intestine. 2. Each antagonist caused a concentration-dependent inhibition of the contraction induced by CCK-OP, regardless of regional and species differences. 3. The potencies of each drug, estimated by use of an adaptation of the Cheng & Prusoff equation, were similar in the different regions of human alimentary tract (weighted mean apparent pKB, +/- s.e. mean: devazepide, 5.76 +/- 0.08, n = 20; lorglumide, 5.82 +/- 0.04, n = 25; loxiglumide, 5.87 +/- 0.07, n = 24). 4. In contrast, the potencies differed markedly in the guinea-pig ileum. Apparent pKB values obtained by the same method as with human tissues were, mean +/- s.e.mean: devazepide, 10.61 +/- 0.61; lorglumide, 7.43 +/- 0.20; loxiglumide, 6.67 +/- 0.12. pKB values obtained from classical competition experiments were: devazepide, 10.09 +/- 0.09; lorglumide 7.70 +/- 0.12; loxiglumide 6.08 +/- 0.22. 5. The CCK receptors in human gut muscle from different regions seem to be similar, but there appear to be species differences.