TY - JOUR T1 - THE ACTION OF ANESTHETIC AGENTS ON THE LOSS OF POTASSIUM FROM ISOLATED GUINEA PIG AURICLES JF - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics JO - J Pharmacol Exp Ther SP - 1 LP - 8 VL - 111 IS - 1 AU - William C. Holland Y1 - 1954/05/01 UR - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/111/1/1.abstract N2 - Concentrations of magnesium chloride, pentobarbital, chloretone, procaine and cocaine causing 50-80 per cent reduction in the amplitude of auricular contractions decrease the rate of K loss from these preparations. The decrease in K ion permeability produced by the agents can be partially or completely prevented by addition of relatively small quantities of acetylcholine (10-5M) and ATP (5 x 10-6M) to the suspending medium. It is postulated that the release and subsequent combination of acetylcholine with the receptor protein-cholinesterase is the process that normally accelerates ion movement across the myocardial membrane. The anesthetic agents could effectively diminish transfer of K across the cell membrane by interfering with normal functioning of the K ion accelerating mechanism either directly or indirectly. ER -