When the spanish conquistadores encountered the peoples of South America they en

Question

When the spanish conquistadores encountered the peoples of South America they encountered a weapon uknown to them at the time. The natives used curare, poison taken from the bark of a local vine to hunt animals. The poisoned arrows worked equally well on the invading conquistadores..... death due to respiratory failure.

Since that time a derivative of curare, Tubocurarine, has been effectively used as an anesthetic during surgery. The drug competes with acetylcholine for binding sites on muscle cells. What effect on muscle function would this interference cause? Which enzyme could you inhibit to restore normal function?

Explanation / Answer

Since the derivative competes for acetylcholine binding sites on the muscular end of the neuromuscular junction, this is would inhibit the contraction of the muscle as the relay from the brain to muscle is inhibited. If acetylcholinesterase is inhibited it would increase the concentration of acetylcholine at the junction and as in any competitive inhibition can outcompete the drug tubocurarine.

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