Effects of energy and protein restriction on acetylcholine sensitivity of rat isolated perfused heart.

Responses to acetylcholine of isolated perfused hearts obtained from rats which were acutely starved, chronically half-starved or protein-restricted were compared with those of paired control groups. Isolated hearts of totally starved rats showed no significant change in the responses elicited by 10 and 20 micrograms doses of acetylcholine as compared with paired controls. With 40 micrograms acetylcholine a significantly greater reduction (P less than 0.