Abstract
The influence of chronic pilocarpine administration on the recovery of the parotid gland from an obstruction was investigated by studying the amylase release induced by secretagogues in rats. Treatment with pilocarpine (5 mg/kg, daily for 7 days) increased amylase release induced by isoproterenol (10-5 M) or forskolin (10-5 M) in the parotid tissue of rats after the removal of a 7-day-duct ligation. However, there was no significant difference in the amylase activity of the parotid tissue between pilocarpine-treated rats and control rats. These results suggest that the accelerated recovery of amylase release from parotid tissue in rats chronically treated with pilocarpine may be due to the increased response of amylase release, rather than the increased accumulation of secretory materials in the cells; and furthermore, cyclic AMP-mediated events may be involved in the increased response of amylase release.
