Effects of cholinergic drugs on longitudinal muscle contractions of Fasciola hepatica

Acetylcholine, cholinergic agonists and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors significantly decrease the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous longitudinal muscle contractions in Fasciola hepatica. In order of their effects on the inhibition of muscle contractions, the cholinergic agonists can be ranked as nicotine greater than carbachol greater than acetylcholine. High calcium ion concentration also causes a significant inhibition of contractions. Atropine, a cholinergic antagonist that acts on muscarinic receptors, significantly increases the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous contractions and completely reverses the effects of cholinomimetic drugs, including nicotine. In adult F. hepatica, the levels of acetylcholine and its precursor choline are 3.14 +/- 0.55 and 13.75 +/- 3.72 pmol/mg wet weight, respectively. The activities of choline acetyltransferase, specific acetylcholinesterase and the nonspecific cholinesterase are 1.25 +/- 0.19, 238.0 +/- 13.0, and 83.0 +/- 33.0 nmol/hr/mg protein, respectively.     

Localization of99mTc in bone by means of autoradiography

The uptake of two different preparations of^99mTechnetium-methylene diphosphonate in fetal rat calvaria is compared. The localization of^99mTc after administration of^99mTc(Sn)-MDP and^99mTc-MDP showed equal distribution in autoradiography.