Effect of neostigmine on contractility of equine pre-ovulatory follicles: An in vitro study

•We tested the effect of neostigmine on equine preovulatory follicle contractility.•We identified the contractility effects of three single doses of neostigmine.•We showed that neostigmine increases contractility in equine preovulatory follicles.•We showed that neostigmine at 10−6 M and 10−4 M induced a phasic contraction.•We showed that neostigmine at 10−5 M induced a tonic contraction.

In this study, the Authors investigated the modulatory effect of three single doses (10−6, 10−5, and 10−4 M) of neostigmine on the spontaneous contractility of equine pre-ovulatory follicles in an isolated organ bath, to establish the relationship between this acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and ovulation, in the mare. The results indicate that neostigmine increases pre-ovulatory contractility in equine follicles at each dose, but in a different manner. Indeed, the rise in contractility induced by neostigmine at 10−6 M and 10−4 M was phasic, while at 10−5 M it was tonic. The data obtained indicate possible implications of these drugs in the pharmacological modulation of equine ovulation.