The effect of cholinergic and anticholinergic agents on the primate model of allergic asthma.
Rhesus monkeys with reagin-mediated, immediate-type respiratory responses to ascaris antigen were used for comparison with the type of responses that occur from certain pharmacologic agents. Carbacholine produces a respiratory response that is the same type as an antigen-induced respiratory response and will sensitize an animal's airway so that a dose of antigen not reactive alone will stimulate a response. Antigen and histamine will sensitize the airway so that a subthreshold dose of carbacholine will produce a respiratory response. Atropine completely inhibited the carbacholine response and reversed the increased sensitivity to carbacholine that occurs after an antigen response. Atropine did not block the antigen-induced respiratory response or the respiratory response to prostagladin F2alpha. Partial inhibition of these responses may have occurred but was not detected in the systems used in these studies. A double-antigen challenge system in the rhesus model of asthma provides a useful technique for evaluating the effect of pharmacologic agents on the reagin-mediated respiratory response.
D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens; D001249:Asthma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002217:Carbachol / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D000882:Haplorhini; D006632:Histamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D007114:Immunization; D008170:Lung Compliance / Q000187:drug effects; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008297:Male; D008448:Maximal Expiratory Flow Rate / Q000009:adverse effects; D011460:Prostaglandins F / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects*; D013990:Tidal Volume / Q000009:adverse effects
D000941:Antigens; D011460:Prostaglandins F; D001285:Atropine; D006632:Histamine; D002217:Carbachol