Muscarinic mediation of the urethro genital reflex in spinal cord-transected rats.

Article Details

Citation

Gil L, Gomez LE, Duran I, Cueva-Rolon R

Muscarinic mediation of the urethro genital reflex in spinal cord-transected rats.

Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2000 Oct;67(2):215-23.

PubMed ID
11124384 [ View in PubMed
]
Abstract

The effects of muscarinic receptor stimulation were tested on the urethro genital reflex (UGR) in anesthetized and spinal cord-transected rats. Drugs were applied directly to the spinal cord. The electromyographic activity (EMG) of the bulbospongiosus (BS) muscle was used for recording UGR. In six animals BS as well as soleus, posterior biceps or peroneus tertius muscle EMG was recorded simultaneously. Muscarine (5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 microg) was applied in 22 animals after cutting L6-S1 dorsal roots. Some observations were made on another six animals, to which an extensive bilateral dorsal rhizotomy (L3-S2) was performed. Rhythmic bursts of similar frequency and size to those seen during UGR were found in BS muscle a few minutes after muscarine application. No rhythmic bursting was found on the hindlimb muscles, but exclusively on BS muscles. The effects of homatropine (25, 50, 100 and 200 microg), an acetylcholine muscarinic receptor antagonist, were tested in 21 rats after UGR was elicited three times at low stimulation intensity (7 mm Hg). Homatropine produced two effects: (i) A significant increase in the latency of UGR. (ii) A facilitation of UGR inhibition. In view of these results it can be speculated that muscarinic receptor stimulation is involved in the elicitation of UGR.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drug Targets
DrugTargetKindOrganismPharmacological ActionActions
Homatropine methylbromideMuscarinic acetylcholine receptor M1ProteinHumans
Yes
Antagonist
Details
Homatropine methylbromideMuscarinic acetylcholine receptor M2ProteinHumans
Yes
Antagonist
Details
Homatropine methylbromideMuscarinic acetylcholine receptor M3ProteinHumans
Yes
Antagonist
Details