General Description
Blocks neuromuscular transmission by irreversible binding to motor end-plate acetylcholine receptor (K
d = 1 pM to 1 nM) but does not depress acetylcholine release from motor nerve endings. Blocks nicotine-induced increase of intracellular Ca
2+ in PC12 cells (IC
50 = 310 nM), and prevents opening of nicotinic receptor-associated ion channels. Reconstitution experiments in
Xenopus oocytes have shown the effects of α-bungarotoxin on neuronal nAChR to be highly specific for the α
7-subtype (IC
50 = 1.6 nM), but not for the α
3β
4-subtype (IC
50 >3 μM).
