ON THE ACTION OF CERTAIN ETHERS OF -ALKYL CHOLINE DERIVATIVES

¹ From the Laboratory of Pharmacology of the University of Pennsylvania

1. A study was made of a number of synthetic ethers of -alkyl cholines, in the hope that a substance closely resembling natural muscarine in action and potency might be discovered. This hope was not realized.

2. -Methyl choline: The methyl ether has a strong muscarine action, the butyl practically none. Both are very weakly nicotinic and have curara-like actions.

3. -Ethyl choline: The acetyl ester is strongly muscarinic, weakly nicotinic and contracture-producing. The methyl and ethyl ethers have muscarinic actions, the propyl and butyl have not. None of the ethers are nicotinic. The propyl and butyl ethers have outstanding curara-like and ganglion paralyzing actions.

4. -Propyl choline: The methyl and ethyl ethers are muscarinic, the butyl and amyl are not. None are nicotinic. The butyl and amyl ethers have powerful curara-like and ganglion paralyzing actions, and the butyl ether is strongly convulsant.

5. -Butyl choline: The methyl ether has both muscarinic and nicotinic actions; the ethyl ether has neither.

6. Of all the compounds studied, only the ethyl ethers of -methyl and -propyl choline resemble natural muscarine in their actions.