Different muscarine receptors mediate the prejunctional inhibition of [3H]-noradrenaline release in rat or guinea-pig iris and the contraction of the rabbit iris sphincter muscle

To investigate the muscarine receptor type mediating inhibition of [3H]-noradrenaline release from the isolated rat and guinea-pig iris we have determined the potency of antimuscarinic drugs to antagonize the methacholine-induced inhibition of [3H]-noradrenaline overflow evoked by field stimulation (3 Hz, 2 min). The prejunctional apparent affinities were compared with those obtained for postjunctional muscarine receptors mediating the methacholine-induced contraction of the isolated rabbit iris sphincter muscle. Prejunctional apparent affinity constants of pirenzepine (6.67), himbacine (8.51), methoctramine (7.92), 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine methiodide (4-DAMP, 8.00), hexahydro-d…