title: Effects of neostigmine, edrophonium, 4-aminopyridine and their combinations.
abstract: A study was carried out in the in-vitro rat phrenic nerve hemidiaphragm preparation to find a fast and strong working antagonist of non-depolarizing muscle relaxants. We studied neostigmine, edrophonium, 4-aminopyridine and their combinations from the cumulative concentration response curves of pancuronium. Neostigmine, edrophonium and 4-aminopyridine all antagonized the effect of pancuronium. Neostigmine and 4-aminopyridine did potentiate each other as did neostigmine and edrophonium. The combination of edrophonium and 4-aminopyridine showed less total effect than the addition of their individual effect. We conclude that the mechanisms of action of neostigmine and edrophonium are different.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Free University, Medical School, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Treffers
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Frankhuyzen
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Booij
mesh_terms: D015761:4-Aminopyridine; D000631:Aminopyridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004491:Edrophonium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009388:Neostigmine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D010197:Pancuronium / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D000631:Aminopyridines; D004338:Drug Combinations; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; D009388:Neostigmine; D004491:Edrophonium; D015761:4-Aminopyridine; D010197:Pancuronium