Interactions between tubocurarine, pancuronium and alcuronium demonstrated in the rat phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm preparation

Abstract

The interactions between tubocurarine, pancuronium and alcuronium on neuromuscular transmission have been studied in an isolated neuromuscular preparation (the rat phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm). Mixtures of tubocurarine and pancuronium, and tubocurarine and alcuronium were found to have a more potent effect than the additive effects of the individual agents when given alone, that is, mixtures were synergistic. Mixtures of alcuronium and pancuronium did not exhibit this phenomenon. Possible mechanisms for these findings are discussed.