Patent ID: 8759093
Filing Date: 2014-06-24
Classification: C12N,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for determining the selectivity of a pre-synaptic neuromuscular blocking substance comprising the following steps: (a) determining the minimum voltage V (b) adding to the system of step (a) a pre-determined quantity of a pre-synaptic neuromuscular blocking substance; (c) electrically stimulating, at a voltage at least equal to V (d) measuring the effect induced by the pre-determined quantity of a pre-synaptic neuromuscular blocking substance on the striated muscle tissue, said effect being selected from (i) time to paralysis of said striated muscle tissue, (ii) variation in the contraction rate of said striated muscle tissue, (iii) variation in the contraction distance of said striated muscle tissue, (iv) variation in the force of contraction of said striated muscle tissue, and (v) variation in the end plate potential or the miniature end plate potential of said striated muscle tissue; (e) determining the minimum voltage V (f) adding to the system of step (e) the same pre-determined quantity of the same pre-synaptic neuromuscular blocking substance as for step (b); (g) electrically stimulating, at a voltage at least equal to V (h) measuring the effect induced by said pre-determined quantity of the pre-synaptic neuromuscular blocking substance on the smooth muscle tissue, said effect being selected from (i) time to paralysis of said smooth muscle tissue, (ii) variation in the contraction rate of said smooth muscle tissue, (iii) variation in the contraction distance of said smooth muscle tissue, (iv) variation in the force of contraction of the smooth muscle tissue, and (v) variation in the end plate potential or the miniature end plate potential of said smooth muscle tissue; and (i) calculating the quotient of the result obtained in step (h) by the result obtained in step (d), wherein, the higher above 1 said quotient is, the more selective for smooth muscle the pre-synaptic neuromuscular blocking substance is; or, conversely, calculating the quotient of the result obtained after step (d) by the result obtained after step (h), wherein, the higher above 1 said quotient is, the more selective for striated muscle the pre-synaptic neuromuscular blocking substance is.