C. Polidori, M. Massi, G. Lambrecht, E. Mutschler, Reinhold Tacke, C. Melchiorre

• The present study served to investigate the ability of seven selective muscarinic antagonists to inhibit carbachol-induced drinking in the rat. The muscarinic antagonists were given by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection 1 min before the i.c.v. injection of carbachol (1 \(\mu\)g/rat). The M\(_2\) antagonist, methoctramine, was inactive up to 80.3 nmol/rat. The M\(_3\) antagonist, p-fluoro-hexahydro-sila-difenidol, elicited a modest (42%) but statistically significant inhibition of drinking only at 80 nmol/rat. On the other band, theThe present study served to investigate the ability of seven selective muscarinic antagonists to inhibit carbachol-induced drinking in the rat. The muscarinic antagonists were given by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection 1 min before the i.c.v. injection of carbachol (1 \(\mu\)g/rat). The M\(_2\) antagonist, methoctramine, was inactive up to 80.3 nmol/rat. The M\(_3\) antagonist, p-fluoro-hexahydro-sila-difenidol, elicited a modest (42%) but statistically significant inhibition of drinking only at 80 nmol/rat. On the other band, the selective M\(_1\) antagonists, (R)-trihexyphenidyl, o-methoxy-sila-hexocyclium and pirenzepine, produced a marked and dose-dependent inhibition of carbachol-induced drinking, their 1050 values being 0.51. 7.36 and 9.31 nmoljrat. Also the M\(_1\)/M\(_3\) antagonists, 4-diphenylacetoxy-Nmethylpiperidine methiodide and hexahydro-sila-difen.idol, were potent inhibitors of carbachol-induced drinking, their ID\(_50\) values (0.28 and 11.09 nmoljrat) being related to their pA\(_2\) values for M1 receptors in rabbi t vas deferens. These data suggest that carbachol-induced drinking may be mediated by activation of muscarinic M\(_1\) receptors.…