RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 In vitro effect of toluene diisocyanate on beta adrenergic and muscarinic receptor function in lung tissue of the rat. JF British Journal of Industrial Medicine JO Br J Ind Med FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP 56 OP 59 DO 10.1136/oem.46.1.56 VO 46 IS 1 A1 Borm, P J A1 Bast, A A1 Zuiderveld, O P YR 1989 UL http://oem.bmj.com/content/46/1/56.abstract AB To investigate the role of pharmacological mechanisms in toluene diisocyanate (TDI) induced occupational asthma, the effects of TDI on rat trachea ring and lung parenchymal strip were studied in vitro. The most prominent effect observed was a stimulation of metacholine (1 microM) induced contraction of the tracheal ring by 1 microM TDI (added in dimethy sulphoxide). The results were less pronounced when TDI was added from a stock solution prepared in water, which is possibly due to (co)polymerisation. It is concluded that the pharmacological effect of TDI may result from an autonomic imbalance between cholinergic and beta-adrenergic neural control.