The cholinergic blocking action of adrenergic blocking agents in the pharmacological analysis of autonomic innervation.

The adrenergic blocking agents tolazoline, phentolamine, piperoxan, yohimbine, phenoxybenzamine, bretylium and guanethidine block the excitatory actions both of cholinergic nerves and of added acetylcholine on a variety of vertebrate smooth muscle preparations. These cholinergic blocking actions often occurred with concentrations lower than those required to block the response of the guinea-pig vas deferens to stimulation of the adrenergic hypogastric nerve. The anti-acetylcholine activities of these drugs have been studied in detail, using the guinea-pig rectum and the toad bladder as test organs.