SALIVATORY RESPONSES TO CLASSICAL AND NONTRADITIONAL PARASYMPATHOLYTIC AGENTS IN HUMAN-SUBJECTS - CRITICAL COMMENTS

Both classical (atropine, scopolamine) and nontraditional (pirenzepine, telenzepine) cholinolytic agents themselves cause no salivation in human subjects. Ordinarily, they block salivation caused by pilocarpine. Conversely, they all stimulate intense salivatory response in the chronically denervated human parotid gland. The author presents critical comments on the concept that cholinolytic agents cause salivation by suppression of the mechanism of presynaptic autoinhibition. An alternative explanation of the initial cholinomimetic effect of cholinolytic agents is suggested.