Muscarinic inhibition of potassium-induced noradrenaline release and its dependence on the calcium concentration.

1. Noradrenaline release from the isolated rabbit heart was evoked by perfusion with a medium containing 135 mM potassium and 17 mM sodium ions (high K+-low Na+). 2. The noradrenaline output in response to high K+-low Na+ was dose-dependently decreased by methacholine (0.625-320 muM) and this effect was reserved by atropine 1.44 mM. 3. Lowering the calcium concentration of high K+-low Na+ from 1.8-0.1125 mM decreased the noradrenaline output by 85%. The effect of methacholine, expressed as % inhibition of noradrenaline release, was potentiated by lowering of the calcium concentration. 4. Both at normal and lowered calcium concentrations the inhibitory action of methacholine was larger from …