Biomaterial Database

Effects of some depressant drugs on synaptic responses to glutamate at the crayfish neuromuscular junction. 1984

R E Wachtel

Excitatory junction currents produced by glutamate were recorded with an extracellular electrode at the neuromuscular junction of the crayfish. Pentobarbitone, phenobarbitone, diazepam, chlordiazepoxide and procaine had only minimal effects on current decay at concentrations which are highly effective in other preparations. The glutamate synapse in the crayfish appears relatively resistant to these drugs. In contrast, ether and halothane increased the rate of decay of the currents at concentrations which are comparable to those occurring during anaesthesia.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009469	Neuromuscular Junction	The synapse between a neuron and a muscle.	Myoneural Junction,Nerve-Muscle Preparation,Junction, Myoneural,Junction, Neuromuscular,Junctions, Myoneural,Junctions, Neuromuscular,Myoneural Junctions,Nerve Muscle Preparation,Nerve-Muscle Preparations,Neuromuscular Junctions,Preparation, Nerve-Muscle,Preparations, Nerve-Muscle
D011343	Procaine	A local anesthetic of the ester type that has a slow onset and a short duration of action. It is mainly used for infiltration anesthesia, peripheral nerve block, and spinal block. (From Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 30th ed, p1016).	Anuject,Geriocaine,Gerokit,Hewedolor-Procain,Lophakomp-Procain N,Novocain,Novocaine,Procain Braun,Procain Jenapharm,Procain Rödler,Procain Steigerwald,Procain curasan,Procaina Serra,Procaine Hydrochloride,Pröcaine chlorhydrate Lavoisier,Röwo Procain,procain-loges,Hydrochloride, Procaine
D002492	Central Nervous System Depressants	A very loosely defined group of drugs that tend to reduce the activity of the central nervous system. The major groups included here are ethyl alcohol, anesthetics, hypnotics and sedatives, narcotics, and tranquilizing agents (antipsychotics and antianxiety agents).	CNS Depressants,Depressants, CNS
D003400	Astacoidea	A superfamily of various freshwater CRUSTACEA, in the infraorder Astacidea, comprising the crayfish. Common genera include Astacus and Procambarus. Crayfish resemble lobsters, but are usually much smaller.	Astacus,Crayfish,Procambarus,Astacoideas,Crayfishs
D005971	Glutamates	Derivatives of GLUTAMIC ACID. Included under this heading are a broad variety of acid forms, salts, esters, and amides that contain the 2-aminopentanedioic acid structure.	Glutamic Acid Derivatives,Glutamic Acids,Glutaminic Acids
D000777	Anesthetics	Agents capable of inducing a total or partial loss of sensation, especially tactile sensation and pain. They may act to induce general ANESTHESIA, in which an unconscious state is achieved, or may act locally to induce numbness or lack of sensation at a targeted site.	Anesthetic,Anesthetic Agents,Anesthetic Drugs,Anesthetic Effect,Anesthetic Effects,Agents, Anesthetic,Drugs, Anesthetic,Effect, Anesthetic,Effects, Anesthetic
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001463	Barbiturates	A class of chemicals derived from barbituric acid or thiobarbituric acid. Many of these are GABA MODULATORS used as HYPNOTICS AND SEDATIVES, as ANESTHETICS, or as ANTICONVULSANTS.
D001569	Benzodiazepines	A group of two-ring heterocyclic compounds consisting of a benzene ring fused to a diazepine ring.	Benzodiazepine,Benzodiazepine Compounds
D013569	Synapses	Specialized junctions at which a neuron communicates with a target cell. At classical synapses, a neuron's presynaptic terminal releases a chemical transmitter stored in synaptic vesicles which diffuses across a narrow synaptic cleft and activates receptors on the postsynaptic membrane of the target cell. The target may be a dendrite, cell body, or axon of another neuron, or a specialized region of a muscle or secretory cell. Neurons may also communicate via direct electrical coupling with ELECTRICAL SYNAPSES. Several other non-synaptic chemical or electric signal transmitting processes occur via extracellular mediated interactions.	Synapse