The mechanism of the paralysing action of tetramisole on Ascaris somatic muscle.
1. Tetramisole (100 mug/ml) paralysed live Ascaris in 3 min.2. Tetramisole (10 mug/ml) caused a sustained contraction of the isolated somatic muscles of the worm. This contraction was not blocked by curare nor by piperazine.3. Tetramisole reduced the resting potential of Ascaris muscle from 34+/-4 to 10+/-1 mV.4. Tetramisole caused contraction of Ascaris muscle previously depolarized with high K(+) solutions. This observation suggests that tetramisole can induce a contracture that is independent of membrane depolarization.
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001200:Ascaris / Q000187:drug effects*; D003472:Curare / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000871:Anthelmintics; D010879:Piperazines; D013844:Thiazoles; D003472:Curare; D000109:Acetylcholine; D011188:Potassium