Sustainable Effects of Distigmine Bromide on Urinary Bladder Contractile Function

Distigmine bromide (distigmine) is a reversible carbamate cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitor that is used to treat myasthenia gravis. In Japan, it is also used as a remedy for urination disorder (underactive bladder). The most distinctive pharmacological feature of distigmine is its long-lasting action compared to that of other ChE inhibitors. In animals and humans, distigmine was reported to inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and improve myasthenia gravis for an extended period. Few studies have examined the sustainability of this enhancing effect on the contractile function of urinary bladder smooth muscle. In addition, the cause of this long-lasting feature remains unclear. In this review, we present our findings for the long-lasting feature of distigmine on isolated urinary bladder contraction and in vivo urinary function of guinea pig. We also present our results on the mechanism of its long-lasting sustainability using recombinant human AChE.