ABSTRACT
The effect of ionizing irradiation on the physiological activity of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in smooth muscle preparations from frog lung was studied. cAMP, given as dibutyryl salt (dib-cAMP) inhibited the radiation induced contractions of the muscle in a manner similar to the action of theophylline. In vitro irradiation of dib-cAMP resulted in an alteration of the chemical structure of this substance, i.e., formation of monobutyryl-cAMP and further derivatives as well as a decomposition of the purine structure. There was also a loss of the relaxing activity of irradiated cAMP on the muscle tone of frog lung preparations. The physiologically measured inactivation of dib-cAMP was far more pronounced than the chemical alteration. An inhibitory effect of the reaction products is postulated.
