APPARENT CURARE EFFECT OF SUBSTANCES THAT DECREASE ACETYLCHOLINE SYNTHESIS

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Abstract
There are substances (uric acid, pyrrole, alloxan, methyl-guanidine, vitamin K, ammonia, hydroquinone, [alpha]-naphthol, [beta]-naphthol, glyceraldehyde) that, in contrast to curare, decrease the response of striated muscle to indirect stimulation without decreasing the response of the excised muscle to acetylcholine. These substances were also found to decrease the synthesis of acetylcholine. Serum collected from the working arm of humans also decreased the response of striated muscle to indirect stimulation and decreased the synthesis of acetylcholine without decreasing the response of excised muscle to acetylcholine. It is suggested that an apparent curare effect may be exerted by substances acting not on some structure or process within the muscle, but on the nerve tissue.