THE BINDING OF SOME ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUGS TO BRAIN MUSCARINIC ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTORS

Abstract

The binding of some antidepressant drugs, including some new drugs of atypical structure (flupenthixol, iprindole, maprotiline, mianserin, nomifensine, tofenacine and viloxazine) to muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain has been studied by displacement of [3H]‐atropine. Many of the drugs are potent muscarinic antagonists. Some correlation can be made between the affinity for binding to the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor and the incidence of anticholinergic side effects in clinical usage. 1980 British Pharmacological Society