Effects of anticholinergic bronchodilators on mucociliary transport and airway secretion.

The effects of atropine, ipratropium and oxitropium on the mucociliary clearance were studied in pigeons and rabbits. The normal mucociliary transport (MCT) in pigeons was inhibited after the treatment by any of the three drugs at concentrations of 10(-4) to 10(-3) g/ml. These three drugs markedly inhibited eserine-induced MCT acceleration at a lower concentration than ACh-induced acceleration. The normal airway secretion was inhibited only by atropine in rabbits. The results indicate that neither oxitropium nor ipratropium depress the normal mucociliary clearance, but atropine may depress it under some conditions. Additionally, we suggest that these anticholinergic drugs might selectively affect the mucociliary transport modulated by endogenous ACh.