Cholinomimetic compound distinct from caffeine contained in coffee. II: Muscarinic actions.

An extract with cholinergic activities was isolated from instant regular and decaffeinated coffees and purified. Intravenous injection of this cholinomimetic extract of coffee produced an abrupt depression in blood pressure and heart rate, changes that were distinct from those of known components of coffee, including caffeine, trigonelline, catechin, and chlorogenic acid. Pretreatment of the animals with naloxone, propranolol, isobutylmethylxanthine, hexamethonium bromide, and hemicholinium-3 chloride or bilateral vagotomy did not affect the cardiodepressive effects of the extract, whereas atropine completely abolished them. Direct injection of the cholinomimetic extract of coffee (20-100 micrograms) into the periaqueductal gray area of the midbrain did not produce any cardiovascular effect. However, the extract of coffee did cause relaxation of isolated rat and rabbit aortic ring preparations that were contracted under norepinephrine. The cholinomimetic extract did not inhibit purified acetylcholinesterase. This pharmacologic profile indicates that the cholinomimetic extract of coffee acts as a direct muscarinic agonist.

Coffee contains cholinomimetic compound distinct from caffeine. I: Purification and chromatographic analysis.

Both regular and decaffeinated coffees were found to have cholinomimetic actions when tested in urethane-anesthetized rats. These actions were distinct from those of caffeine and reversible by atropine. The bioactive fraction was purified from alcoholic extracts of instant decaffeinated coffee by liquid column chromatography and preparative TLC. The purified compound showed similar pharmacological actions as the starting material. Chromatographic behavior was further characterized by analytical TLC and HPLC. Chromatographic analyses of extracts of green coffee beans and roasted ground coffees showed that the cardioactive compound was only present in roasted coffees. Similar analyses of other commonly consumed beverages, including teas and cocoa, showed that this compound was not present in beverages besides coffee.

Cholinergic antagonists in a solitary wasp venom.

The venom of the solitary wasp Philanthus triangulum contains a cholinergic antagonist of the nicotinic receptor of the rectus abdominis muscle of the frog, Xenopus laevis. The venom of African P. triangulum contains two different cholinergic factors, a competitive and a non-competitive antagonist. The venom of the European P. triangulum may not contain a competitive antagonist of the nicotinic receptor of X. laevis, but only a very strong non-competitive antagonist. The possible non-synonymity of both groups of P. triangulum is discussed.

Identification and estimation of a cholinomimetic substance in the venom of Dendroaspis polylepis.

A cholinomimetic substance was isolated from desiccated venom of Dendroaspis polylepis by one-dimensional ascending paper chromatography. The migratory and staining properties of the substance were compared with those of standard acetylcholine. Pharmacological and biochemical identification was carried out on various in vitro and in vivo biological test objects as well as with high-voltage paper electrophoresis. The assay of the cholinomimetic substance was done on both superfused guinea pig ileum and hamster stomach strips. The cholinomimetic substance content was 2.44 - 3.46mg/0.96gm of total protein in the desiccated venom.

A diffusible factor responsible for the determination of cholinergic functions in cultured sympathetic neurons. Partial purification and characterization.

A macromolecule has been partially purified which influences the choice of the neurotransmitter synthesized by sympathetic neurons. Previous studies showed that culture medium conditioned by incubation on certain types of non-neuronal cells increased [3H]acetylcholine synthesis and accumulation from [3H]choline in primary cultures of neurons dissociated from neonatal rat superior cervical ganglion and grown in the virtual absence of non-neuronal cells. A concomitant decrease of [3H]catecholamines production was observed (Patterson, P. H., and Chun, L. L. Y. (1977) Dev. Biol. 56, 263-280). The active cholinergic factor in conditioned medium from C6 glioma or primary rat heart cultures has been purified about 1500-fold by a sequence of ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-, CM-cellulose, and Sephadex G-100 chromatography. The partially purified factor is active at 1 microgram of protein/ml of culture medium and is eluted from Sephadex columns as a single peak of apparent Mr = 40,000-45,000. This material is insensitive to 0.2 M 2-mercaptoethanol, but is inactivated by 1 mM Na periodate. Its activity is partially decreased by treatment with a protease from Streptomyces griseus but is unaffected by neuraminidase. Material purified through the ammonium sulfate, DEAE- and CM-cellulose steps contains large amounts of trypsin- and chymotrypsin-inhibiting activities.