Xref: utzoo sci.bio:795 sci.med:3778
Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!cmcl2!brl-adm!abc
From: abc@brl-adm.ARPA (Brint Cooper)
Newsgroups: sci.bio,sci.med
Subject: Re: Acetylcholine source needed...
Message-ID: <11310@brl-adm.ARPA>
Date: 18 Jan 88 03:18:28 GMT
References: <506@dl901b.engin.umich.edu> <560@spdcc.COM> <1559@aecom.YU.EDU>
Reply-To: abc@brl.arpa (Brint Cooper)
Followup-To: sci.med
Organization: Ballistic Research Laboratory
Lines: 30

In article <1559@aecom.YU.EDU> werner@aecom.YU.EDU (Craig Werner) writes:

>	Of course, there are drugs that increase acetylcholine in the
>nerve terminals: Edrophonium, Neostigmine, and other Acetylcholinesterase
>inhibitors.  However, since acetylcholine is also used in autonomic
>ganglia and muscle-nerve endplates, the effect will bring on uncontrolled
>sweating and muscle spasms rather than memory enhancement.
>	Two other "drugs" that increase acetylcholine in the nervous
>system are Malathion and Parathion, which are not used as drugs, but
>rather as industrial insecticides.  However, as far as increasing
>Acetylcholine levels, they are quite "efficient," probably the most
>efficient in general use.


	Another drug that increases the quantity of acetylcholine
released by a motor neuron at the neurymusclar synapse (did I get that
right?) is Ephedrine Sulfate.  Ephedrine is used primarilyas a
bronchodilator for asthmatics.  It is sold over-the-counter.   Many
people feel "jumpy" and experience increased heartrate from using it.
For those people, the popular pseudo-ephedrine, sold as Sudafed and as
other trade names, is available.

	Neurologists apparently were clued onto the
acetylcholine-increasing properties of ephedrine by these side effects.
Ephedrine is used as an adjunct therapy in the treatment of myasthenia
gravis.  It helps.


-- 
Brint Cooper