Choline availability: effects on the toxicity of centrally active drugs.

The effect of chronic choline supplementation was studied on the toxicity of various pharmacological agents in rats and mice. Choline prevented both the incidence of seizures and the consequent lethality of nicotine, paraoxon, pentylenetetrazol, and strychnine. Nicotine toxicity was most markedly affected, and the prophylactic effects of choline were present in both rats and mice following either dietary or parenteral supplementation. Results suggest that chronic choline availability may alter neuronal membrane excitability.