Lack of Effects of Carbachol on the Na-Ca Exchange Mechanism in Frog Atrial Muscle Treated with Goniopora Toxin

Carbachol (CCh) at a concentration of 10^-7 M completely inhibited the twitch contraction of frog atrial muscle. However, when the preparation was treated with goniopora toxin (GPT), a selective inhibitor of Na channel inactivation, and the twitch contraction was augmented through the activation of Na-Ca exchange by this toxin, the reduction in contractile amplitude by CCh was only about 30% even at higher concentrations. The maximum rate of rise of the twitch contraction was not affected by CCh in GPT-treated preparations. The time course of configuration change of the twitch contraction after application of CCh in GPT-treated muscle indicated that the attenuation of amplitude preceded the shortening of duration. The residual contraction under the combined treatments with GPT and CCh was abolished by removal of external Ca⁺⁺ or addition of TTX. CCh only moderately shortened the action potential which was prolonged by GPT, and further addition of TTX abolished the action potential. From these results, we suggest that CCh does not influence the twitch contraction which is augmented via the activation of the Na-Ca exchange mechanism in frog atrial muscle.