Introduction/ aims
Acetylcholine (ACH) is a neurotransmitter which operate in the brain, ACH are known as cholinergic because they are released from both the parasympathetic and sympathetic systems, (Colovic, 2013). There are drugs which look to copy these effects or inhibit them, they are known as cholinergic drugs. ACH has two types of receptors, nicotinic and muscarinic receptors. Nicotine acts as antagonists for nicotinic receptors, by blocking these receptors this causes the muscles to relax. Another cholinergic drug is scopolamine this acts as an antagonists for the muscarinic receptors. Thus, supresses the parasympathetic system, scopolamine has many uses such as lowering the secretion of body fluids and contracts the radial muscles in the eye to …show more content…
This will all take place in a water bath which represents the small intestine and will be maintained at 37°C and will be provided with compressed air to recreate the environment.
The agonist ACH is added to the water bath. The ileum will be then be stimulated by an electrical current which will make the ACH contract. Thus, recreating contractions of small intestines. Recordings will be taken over a 3 minute period, the solutions will also be washed out every 30 seconds. This is done to alter the concentration levels of the ACH.
For the second part of the experiment the antagonist Homatropine will be added to the water bath and be left to settle for 5 minutes before adding the agonist ACH and recordings of the length of the ileum will be taken over a 3 minute period, followed by washing out the solution before continuing.
All the recording of the results will take place on a pen recorder, the data will be then transferred to a table to make it easier to read and