Reciprocal Action of Crop Muscles in Anaphylactic Shock.

Abstract

In a previous communication, the demonstration of hypertonicity of circular muscle in the intact crop of anaphylactic pigeons was reported, 1 this change being consistent with muscular hypertonicity in various organs of mammals. However, hypertonicity is not the only functional change in anaphylactic smooth muscle, contrary to usual suppositions. For we have now demonstrated repeatedly a marked hypotonicity of the longitudinal muscle, occurring simultaneously with the marked hypertonicity of the circular muscle in the same organ (crop) during anaphylactic shock in pigeons. There is, in other words, a reciprocal action of these muscles, which occurs also physiologically, but in anaphylactic shock, the action is increased and represents only a quantitative change from normal. The mechanism of the reciprocal action is in the crop itself, because it occurs after section of the autonomic nerves. Epinephrine and atropine act as imperfect antagonists. Our results on nerve degeneration and the myenteric plexuses are as yet indecisive.

The method used permits a simple and easy means of demonstrating and studying the reciprocal action of muscles in the alimentary tract, and also the importance of the functional state in drug and other responses, in the intact organism. The details of the method and of several studies will be published in the near future.