Abstract
Summary
1. Comparison of the potency of muscarine and synthetic congeners on smooth muscle (gut, bladder, iris) and on skeletal muscle demonstrated equal potency of synthetic and natural L-(+) muscarine. 2. The potency of muscarine is stereospecific; D-(+) muscarine and all racemic stereoisomers (epi, allo, epiallo) possess only a fraction of the potency of dl-muscarine. 3. Keto analogues of muscarine (muscarones) are more potent than muscarine in stimulating smooth muscle; in addition, they possess, on frog skeletal muscle, remarkable nicotinic activity of which the muscarines are almost devoid. 4. The potency of the muscarones is not stereospecific. Both + and - muscarones are more potent than L-(+) muscarine, and dl-allo muscarone is only slightly less potent than dl-muscarone.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.