Abstract
Several fluorinated quaternary salts of pilocarpine were prepared in order to examine the effect of the fluorine atom on the biological activity of pilocarpine upon quaternization with fluorinated alkyliodides, namely, perfluoropropyl iodide, perfluoroisopropyl iodide and 1-H, 1-H-heptafluorobutyl iodide. All quaternary salts exhibited moderate cholinergic activity when compared to pilocarpine. In addition, they inhibited the response of the guinea-pig ileum to subsequent doses of acetylcholine acting thus as partial agonist. Furthermore, pilocarpine perfluoroisopropyl iodide, when administered to rabbits (10mg/kg, i.p.) caused strong saliagogue and miotic actions.