Effect of ivory shell toxin on the parasympathetic ganglia of the dog urinary bladder.

Abstract

A small amount (3-10 μg) of a toxin isolated from the Japanese ivory shell (Babylonia japonica) was injected into the caudal vesical arteries of the dog bladder in situ. This greatly diminished the bladder contraction in response to pelvic nerve stimulation and antagonized that to 1, 1-dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium iodide, a nicotinic ganglionic stimulating agent. The toxin was ineffective on the contractile response to 4-(m-chlorophenylcar bamoyloxy)-2-butynyltrimethylammonium chloride, a muscarinic ganglionic stimulating agent. Thus, the toxin appears to be highly specific in blocking the nicotinic receptors at the parasympathetic ganglia of the dog bladder.