Role of Ca2+ in non-cholinergic, non-adrenergic responses to nerve stimulation of the guinea-pig small intestine.

The effects of calcium channel blockers (D-600, verapamil), sodium nitroprusside, papaverine, indomethacin, local anaesthetics and blockade of sodium pump activity on the non-cholinergic, non-adrenergic transmission in the guinea-pig duodenum, jejunum, proximal and terminal ileum were analysed in the presence of atropine and guanethidine. A decrease of the extracellular Ca2+ concentration inhibited the primary and rebound contractions but only in Ca2+ -free solution was the primary relaxation diminished. D-600, verapamil, sodium nitroprusside and papaverine inhibited both the primary and rebound contractions to the same degree and their effects on the primary relaxation were less pronounced than on the contractions. Indomethacin dissolved in alkaline solution did not depress the non-cholinergic, non-adrenergic responses in any region of the small intestine, whereas indomethacin dissolved in ethanol antagonized both the primary and rebound contractions in the muscles. Local anaesthetics (procaine, trimecaine) in low concentrations inhibited only the primary contraction. Higher concentrations also inhibited both the rebound contraction and primary relaxation. Procaine in low concentrations did not markedly affect the non-cholinergic, non-adrenergic i.j.p.s and e.j.p.s, but did block the action potentials induced by e.j.p.s. Our findings indicate that the primary relaxation, and primary and rebound contractions are probably induced by different mechanisms and are not mediated by ATP. We confirmed that prostaglandins did not participate in the generation of the rebound contraction.