Some native peoples of South America use the drug curare to poison the tips of their hunting arrows. When an animal is struck by one of these arrows, it goes limp and quickly suffocates. Why?
A) Serotonin floods into the synaptic gap.
B) Dopamine reuptake is blocked.
C) Acetylcholine receptor sites are blocked.
D) Endorphin receptor sites are destroyed.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Curare is a neuromuscular blocking agent that works by binding to acetylcholine receptor sites on the postsynaptic membrane of skeletal muscle cells, which prevents the action potential from being transmitted across the neuromuscular junction. This results in muscle paralysis, including the muscles responsible for breathing, causing the animal to suffocate quickly.

Some Native Peoples of South America Use the Drug Curare