title: The effects of L-arginine and NG-monomethyl L-arginine on the response of the rat anococcygeus muscle to NANC nerve stimulation.
abstract: The effect of the competitive inhibitor of L-arginine, NG-monomethyl L-arginine (L-NMMA) on the response of the rat anococcygeus muscle to non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) inhibitory nerve stimulation has been examined. L-NMMA causes a rise in muscle tone and inhibition of the response to nerve stimulation. The stereoisomer D-NMMA is without effect. The rise in tone and inhibition of the nerve response is reversed by L-arginine. Another analogue, L-canavanine, which is effective against L-arginine utilization in the macrophage, was without effect on the rat anococcygeus. These results provide indirect evidence for nitric oxide (NO) or a substance releasing NO as the transmitter of the NANC nerves in this tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Glasgow.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Gillespie
authors.forename: X R
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine
chemical_list: D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine; D001120:Arginine