The methonium compounds / by W.D.M. Paton and Eleanor J. Zaimis.

  • Paton, William D. M.
Date:
[1952?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The methonium compounds / by W.D.M. Paton and Eleanor J. Zaimis. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    1/36
    Reprinted from Pharmacological Reviews Vol. 4, No. 3, September, 1952 Printed in U.S.A. THE METHONIUM COMPOUNDS W. D. M. PATON* and ELEANOR J. ZAIMIS National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, and School of Pharmacy, London I. Introduction. 219 II. Physical and chemical properties. 221 III. Estimation. 221 IV. Excretion, absorption and distribution. 222 V. Neuromuscular action of methonium salts. 224 (1) Modes of neuromuscular block.\. 224 (2) Characteristics of competitive neuromuscular block.....,. 225 (3) Characteristics of neuromuscular block due to endplate depolarisation. . . . 226 (a) Cat muscle: depolarization of the motor endplate. 227 • (b) Avian muscle.... 229 (c) Frog muscle . ... 229 (4) Relation of mode of action to differences between decamethonium and d-tubocurarine .. 229 (5) Neuromuscular block of intermediate character... .. . 231 (6) Variation of potency of decamethonium with species.. 232 (7) Action of decamethonium in man... . 232 (8) Relation to other neuromuscular blocking agents.. ,J. 233 VI. Ganglionic blocking actions of methonium salts.. . .. 234 (1) Site and mode of action.... 235 (2) Cardiovascular actions. 236 (3) Gastrointestinal effects. 236 (4) Other ganglionic blocking actions... 237 (5) Other actions of hexamethonium of uncertain mechanism. 237 (6) Factors influencing the response to hexamethonium. 238 (a) Background tone......... 238 (b) Variations in sensitivity... 238 (c) The possibility of maximal block. 239 (d) Intensity and duration of activity. 239 (e) Compensatory mechanisms. 239 (7) Hypertension... 239 (8) Reduction of bleeding during surgical operations. 241 (9) Actions on the human alimentary tract. 243 (10) Comparison of tetra-, penta- and hexamethonium. 243 (11) Other actions of hexamethonium in man. 244 (12) Toxicity. 245 VII. Other members of the methonium series and other actions. .. 245 VIII. Specificity, potency, site of action and chemical structure. 245 IX. Conclusions. 247 I. Introduction Within the last twenty years decisive evidence has accumulated that trans¬ mission of excitation from nerve to skeletal muscle or across the ganglionic synapse is achieved by means of chemical mediation. It was from the study of the actions of drugs such as nicotine, curare and the choline esters, most of them quaternary in nature, that the chemical theory of transmission grew. At first * Present address: University College Hospital Medical School, London W.C.I.