The effect of hexamethonium on the duodenal motility of dogs pré-treated by atropine

Abstract

The authors studied the behavior of duodenum in atropinized dogs, “in situ”, under the effects of ganglionic blocking drugs. Only Hexamethonium restores the tonus and the motility of the small intestine segment studied. Two explanations were proposed: 1 — Hexamethonium inhibits the “main” ganglionic colinoceptive site and determines that the pre-sinaptic impulses pass through an alternate pathway of transmission, not blocked by Atropine, and restores the colinergic control in the intestinal tract. 2 — The inhibition of the “main” pathway of transmission in sympathetic autonomic ganglia elicits the absence of the sympathetic preponderance and restores the equilibrium broken by the previous administration of Atropine.