A COMPARISON OF PERIPHERAL AND CENTRAL HUMAN MUSCARINIC CHOLINERGIC RECEPTOR AFFINITIES FOR PSYCHOTROPIC-DRUGS

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 17  (5) , 555-567
Abstract
A peripheral model is valuable to investigate central cholinopathic disorders. The in vitro affinities of several psychotropic drugs [protriptyline, amitriptyline, doxepin, imipramine, nortriptyline, desipramine, mianserin, tranylcypromine, thioridazine, chlorpromazine, loxapine, perphenazine, trifluoperazine, fluphenazine, haloperidol, molindone, acetylcholine, oxotremorine and atropine] for the muscarinic cholinergic binding sites of human caudate and erythrocyte were compared in competition with a tritiated antagonist (quinuclidinyl benzilate). The relative affinities of the drugs for both tissues were strikingly similar. The erythrocyte muscarinic receptor may represent an accessible in vitro assay for the characterization of central cholinophathic states.