Administration of diazepam (20 mg/kg) leads to an increase in the free and bound acetylcholine concentrations in the mouse brain. Preliminary administration of diazepam (20 mg/kg) potentiates the anticholinesterase action and toxicity of galanthamine. The toxicity of eserine, armin and phosphacol is unchanged under these conditions. It is suggested that diazepam blocks the liberation of acetylcholine from cholinergic nerve endings, which must lead to a decrease in the concentration of functional acetylcholine in the synaptic space.
Key Words diazepam - brain - acetylcholine - cholinesterase inhibitors
S. M. Kirov Military Medical Academy, Leningrad. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. N. Golikov.) Translated from Byulleten'' Éksperimental''noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 86, No. 7, pp. 38–40, July, 1978.