Neuromyal blocking action of mescaline

¹ Department of Physiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado

The close intra-arterial injection of mescaline in adequate doses causes partial or complete paralysis in the dog neuromuscular preparation. Mescaline and curare tend to supplement one another with respect to their depressant actions on indirectly stimulated skeletal muscle. After complete blockade with mescaline, the muscle can readily be activated by direct stimulation. Following chronic denervation, the directly stimulated muscle fails to show an immediate depression of contractions when mescaline is administered. Adrenaline, KCl and prostigmine can oppose the paralyzing action of mescaline. The site of action of mescaline in producing paralysis is localized in the neuromuscular complex.