Abstract

Acetylthiocholine and acetylselenocholine exert acetylcholine-like effects on the guinea pig ileum and frog rectus abdominis preparations. With the latter preparation, responses to acetylthiocholine and acetylselenocholine, in contrast to that to acetylcholine, are not enhanced by the addition of an anticholinesterase. This is attributable to the relatively high activity of the hydrolysis products, cholinethiol and cholineselenol; acetylthiocholine and acetylselenocholine undergo enzymatic hydrolysis at approximately the same rate as does acetylcholine. The hydrolysis products of acetylthiocholine and acetylselenocholine, which have effects on the guinea pig ileum comparable to those of the parent esters, are readily oxidized in air to the relatively inactive eholine disulfide and choline diselenide, respectively. These observations are helpful in explaining many of the apparently contradictory statements in the literature regarding the actions of acetylthiocholine.

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