Procaine amide : to the editor of the British medical journal / [W.D.M. Paton, J.W. Thompson].

  • William Paton
Date:
[1953?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Procaine amide : to the editor of the British medical journal / [W.D.M. Paton, J.W. Thompson]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    2 considerably without causing any depolarization of the ganglion. These results show that procaine amide has two actions at the ganglion-inhibition of acetylcholine release, and an antagonism to the effects of acetylcholine. The second of these two actions should, of course, simply sum with that of hexamethonium, if the two drugs are given together. But the interaction of the first action, that of preventing acetylcholine release, with the acetyl¬ choline-antagonizing power of hexamethonium, might present novel features. We find, in fact, that in the cat procaine amide and hexamethonium potentiate one another, and that the effect of a mixture is greater than that expected from simple addition of the two components. It seems probable, therefore, that this synergism between depression of acetylcholine release and competition with acetylcholine could go some way to explain the clinical; synergism observed. The question arises whether any of the hypotensive action of procaine amide can be attributed to a direct cardiac action. Our only evidence on this point suggests that, in the cat, this is not true, since the relative! potency of procaine amide to hexamethonium in lowering?! blood pressure is actually less than its relative potency irI relaxing the nictitating membrane. Procaine amide appears to offer, therefore, a new possif bility of supplementing the action of a ganglion-blockin;|; agent with a drug active by mouth, with which it might b r possible to attack ganglia at present relatively refractor! to such agents.-—We are, etc., W. D. M. Paton. m J. W. Thompson, p ■ London, W.C.l. Printed in Great Britain by Fisher, Knight and Co., Ltd.. The Gainsborough Press, St. Albans.
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