Effect of clonidine and chlorpromazine on centrally evoked electrodermal responses and their interaction with yohimbine

Both clonidine and chlorpromazine reduced the amplitude of electrodermal responses (EDR) evoked by stimulation of the hypothalamus at a constant submaximal frequency (10–16 Hz). The ED₅₀ for clonidine was approximately 5 μg/kg and that for chlorpromazine was about 1 mg/kg. Yohimbine pretreatment (0.5 mg/kg, i.v.) antagonized the effects of clonidine but did not alter the effectiveness of clorpromazine in inhibiting these responses. Yohimbine alone was without effect on these sympathetic-cholinergic responses. These results suggest that clonidine and chlorpromazine depress central sympathetic reactivity by different mechanisms.     

Analysis of CNS sympatho-inhibition produced by guanabenz

The effects of guanabenz on several autonomic systems were observed in vagotomized, anesthetized cats with the aim of determining, in a quantitative sense, the degree to which guanabenz produces a clonidine-like central nervous system action. Guanabenz given as a single dose (50 μg/kg i.v.) produced a transient hypertension associated with a more sustained bradycardia and depression of centrally (hypothalamic) evoked electrodermal responses (EDR). Increasing cumulative doses of guanabenz (3–1000 μg/kg i.v.) also resulted in a dose-related depression of EDR amplitude, transient hypertension followed by hypotension, sustained bradycardia, and mydriasis. All responses were antagonized by pretreatment with yohimbine (0.5 mg/kg i.v.). The ED₅₀ for depression of the centrally evoked EDR was in the range of 50–100 μg/kg i.v. in the non-pretreated preparations. Guanabenz (100 μg/kg i.v.) was shown to be devoid of significant ganglionic blocking properties. These experiments suggest that guanabenz acts like clonidine in the CNS and that an α₂-adrenergic inhibitory mechanism is involved in its myriad of central autonomic effects.     

Chlorpromazine as a discriminative stimulus in rats: Generalization to typical and atypical antipsychotics

The discriminative stimulus properties of the typical antipsychotic chlorpromazine were examined in a two‐lever drug discrimination procedure for food reward. Six of nine rats readily acquired the discrimination between 1.0 mg/kg chlorpromazine (i.p.) and vehicle in a mean of 29.7 training sessions. The chlorpromazine generalization curve was dose‐dependent and yielded an ED₅₀ of 0.305 mg/kg (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.201–0.463 mg/kg). The chlorpromazine cue generalized to the atypical antipsychotics clozapine (ED₅₀ for the clozapine curve was 0.258 mg/kg [95% CI = 0.047–1.420 mg/kg]) and olanzapine (ED₅₀ for the olanzapine curve was 0.199 mg/kg [95% CI = 0.076–0.522 mg/kg]) and to the typical antipsychotic thioridazine (ED₅₀ for the thioridazine curve was 3.103 mg/kg [95% CI = 1.993–4.832 mg/kg]). Haloperidol (a typical antipsychotic) and raclopride (an atypical antipsychotic) did not substitute for chlorpromazine. It is clear from the present results that the discriminative stimulus properties of chlorpromazine share similarities both with the atypical antipsychotics clozapine and olanzapine and with the typical antipsychotic thioridazine. The extent to which the discriminative stimulus properties of antipsychotic drugs reflect or are predictive of their therapeutic effects in schizophrenic patients remains unclear. Drug Dev. Res. 48:38–44, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Central sympathetic reactivity inhibited by indoramin

The action of indoramin on central autonomic activity was investigated using the sympathetic-cholinergic electrodermal response system. Indoramin (0.33–10 mg/kg, i.v.) significantly reduced the amplitude of electrodermal responses (EDR) evoked by stimulation of the hypothalamus in a dose-related manner. The CNS effects of indoramin on the EDR were partially antagonized by yohombine pretreatment. These results demonstrate that indoramin reduces central sympathetic reactivity and suggest that an α-adrenergic inhibitory mechanism may be involved.     

Effects of clonidine and chlorpromazine on a sympathetic-cholinergic reflex

Intravenous administration of clonidine and chlorpromazine resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of the amplitude of reflexly evoked electrodermal responses in intact and spinal cats. Yohimbine pretreatment (0.5 mg/kg, i.v.) antagonized the effects of clonidine but not chlorpromazine in both preparations. These findings confirm and expand previous observations that both clonidine and chlorpromazine inhibit the amplitude of centrally evoked responses in this sympathetic-cholinergic system. In addition, both drugs appeared to have a spinal site of action. The antagonism of the effects of clonidine by yohimbine suggests that the mechanism of the action of clonidine may be a result of activation of central inhibitory alpha-adrenergic receptors. The failure of yohimbine to antagonize the effects of chlorpromazine suggests that clonidine and chlorpromazine may depress these sympathetic reflexes by different mechanisms.     

Discriminative stimulus properties of haloperidol

Rats (N = 9) were trained to discriminate the antipsychotic drug haloperidol (0.05 mg/kg i.p.) from drug vehicle (0.25% acetic acid in 0.9% saline) using a water-reinforced, fixed-ratio 10 response operant procedure. Acquisition of discrimination required a mean of 45 trainingsessions (median value of 38 sessions). The discriminative stimulus was dose-dependent with an ED₅₀ value of 0.008 mg/kg. The total number of responses per 10-min test session was significantly reduced at all doses of haloperidol that produced haloperidol lever selection. The antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine substituted for the haloperidol discriminative stimulus (ED₅₀ = 0.38 mg/kg). The indirect dopaminergic agonists amphetamine (1.0 mg/kg) and cocaine (10 mg/kg) fully blocked the haloperidol discriminative stimulus. Taken together, these initial results suggest that the discriminative stimulus produced by haloperidol is mediated, at least in part, by an interaction with dopamine receptors.     

Mechanism of ketanserin-induced sympatho-inhibition.

Experiments were undertaken to determine if sympatho-inhibition produced by ketanserin is due to antagonism of central nervous system alpha 1-adrenoceptors rather than central 5-HT2 receptors and if (like prazosin) it produces sympatho-inhibition indirectly via a central (presynaptic) alpha 2-adrenoceptor mechanism. Administration of ketanserin (0.03-3.0 mg/kg i.v.) caused a dose-related depression of sympathetic-cholinergic electrodermal responses evoked by electrical stimulation of the hypothalamus in pentobarbital anesthetized cats. No effect of ketanserin was observed on electrodermal responses evoked by preganglionic sympathetic nerve stimulation nor did the more specific 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, cinanserin, produce a central sympatholytic effect at dosages up to 3 mg/kg i.v. Pretreatment with alpha 2-adrenoceptor blockers yohimbine, idazoxan, or rauwolscine significantly antagonized ketanserin-induced sympatho-inhibition. Depletion of central nervous system (CNS) monoamines totally prevented ketanserin-induced sympatho-inhibition although clonidine (30 micrograms/kg i.v.) continued to be effective. These results suggest that ketanserin acts in the CNS to reduce sympathetic reactivity by blocking alpha 1-adrenoceptors and not 5-HT2 receptors. In this regard, ketanserin appears to act in a manner similar to other alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonists (e.g. prazosin and indoramin) by an apparent presynaptic facilitation of alpha 2-adrenoceptor mediated tonic inhibition descending from the lower brainstem.     

The action of chlorpromazine on the electrodermal response in the cat

Chlorpromazine (0·02–2·50 mg/kg. i.v.) was found to have a dose-dependent depressant action on the electrodermal response evoked by either central brainstem or reflex stimulation in chloralose-anaesthetized cats. Responses elicited by reflex, midbrain. and pontine stimulation were significantly reduced at a lower dose of chlorpromazine (0·10 mg/kg) than were responses evoked by stimulation of either the hypothalamus or the medulla (0·50 mg/kg). Chlorpromazine did not inhibit the postganglionic peripherally evoked response in the doses administered.     

A possible mechanism of action of a central stimulant substance isolated from the sea anemone Stoichactis kenti

An active fraction causing central stimulation (evidence as fighting episodes) in mice has been isolated from a sea anemone, most probably Stoichactis kenti. It was found to be a basic polypeptide. The ED₅₀ of the active fraction was 6.4 mg/kg (i.p.) and LD₅₀ was 12.2 mg/kg (i.p.). The antagonism of the active fraction-induced stimulant activity by phenobarbital sodium, chlorpromazine and methocarbamol suggests that this activity was probably mediated centrally. Reserpine or tetrabenazine, but not α-methyl-p-tyrosine (α-MPT) pretreatment, decreased the ED₅₀ of the active fraction. D,L-Dopa treatment also decreased the ED₅₀ of the active fraction and restored the stimulant action after its abolition by combined treatment with α-MPT and reserpine or α-MPT and disulfiram. These results suggest that a central adrenergic mechanism plays a major role in this stimulant action of the active substance; inhibition by β-adrenoceptor antagonists also support this hypothesis. Interactions with cholinergic and anticholinergic drugs also exist which are not incompatible with this hypothesis.     

Studies on the mechanism of prazosin induced sympatho-inhibition

Intravenous administration of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist, prazosin (3-300 micrograms/kg), produced a depression of sympathetic-cholinergic electrodermal responses evoked by electrical stimulation of the posterior hypothalamus in pentobarbital anesthetized cats. Pretreatment with the alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonists yohimbine (0.5 mg/kg) or idazoxan (0.1 mg/kg) significantly blocked the depressant effects of prazosin but had no effect on hypothalamic evoked electrodermal responses when given alone. Electrodermal responses were readily elicited in animals depleted of CNS monoamines. Monoamine depletion, however, totally abolished prazosin's depression of centrally evoked electrodermal responses. Prazosin also depressed the amplitude of electrodermal responses evoked by electrical stimulation of the cervical spinal cord in spinalized cats. In contrast to hypothalamic stimulation, yohimbine when given alone potentiated spinally evoked electrodermal responses which suggests that both excitatory and inhibitory mechanisms were being activated. Taken together these results suggest that prazosin produces its CNS sympatholytic effect by enhancing inhibition mediated by alpha 2-adrenoceptor mechanisms and not directly by blockade of excitatory alpha 1-adrenergic receptors in the central nervous system. A spinal cord site of action for prazosin is also implicated.     

Use of a sympathetic-cholinergic system in the analysis of sympatho-inhibition produced by clonidine and some congeneric derivatives of clonidine

The effects of clonidine and five analogs of clonidine were tested with regard to their ability to depress centrally and peripherally evoked electrodermal responses (EDR) in control cats, as well as in animals pretreated with yohimbine hydrochloride. With the exception of St-91, all of the clonidine-like substances selectively reduced the amplitude of centrally (hypothalamic) evoked responses in a dose-dependent fashion. Clonidine was found to have no significant inhibitory effect at the level of the sympathetic ganglion. The order of central nervous system sympatho-inhibitory potency of these compounds was clonidine (St-155) greater than St-375 greater than St-606 greater than St-600 greater than St-608 much much greater than St-91. Prior treatment with yohimbine hydrochloride (0.5 mg/kg i.v.) antagonized the depressant effect of all of these drugs. These results indicate that clonidine and the clonidine congeners tested (with the exception of St-91) all produce sympatho-inhibition by an action on a CNS alpha-adrenergic mechanism and demonstrate the usefulness of this electrodermal model system for the analysis of drugs affecting central sympathetic reactivity.     

Anticonvulsant activity of (+)-5-methyl-10, 11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5, 10-imine (MK-801), a substance with potent anticonvulsant,central sympathomimetic,and apparent anxiolytic properties

MK-801 prevented tonic extensor seizures in the rat induced by bicuclline with the ED₅₀ being 23 μg/kg p.o. Clonazepam, phenobarbital, diazepam, phenytoin, γ-acetylenic GABA, sodium valproate, and trimethadione were all less potent. In mice, MK-801 was likewise the most potent (ED₅₀ = 0.35 mg/kg p.o.) compound in protecting against tonic seizures induced by electroshock. Clonazepam (ED₅₀ = 0.41 mg/kg p.o.) and MK-801 (ED₅₀ = 0.67 mg/kg p.o.) were by far more potent than any of the other anticonvulsants tested versus bicuculline-elicited seizures in mice. Besides being a potent anticonvulsant, MK-801 demonstrated selectivity, since much higher doses were required in mice to block clonic convulsions produced by pentylenetetrazol (ED₅₀ = 11 mg/kg p.o.) and tonic seizures caused by strychnine (ED₅₀ > 15 mg/kg p.o.) than were needed against electroshock or bicuculline. The anticonvulsant (electroshock) effect of MK-801 in mice was unaffected by pretreating the animals with various receptor antagonists (atropine, mecamylamine, chlorpheniramine, tripelennamine, cyproheptadine, cinanserin, methysergide, cimetidine, and propranolol). MK-801 was slightly, but significantly, antagonized by methergoline, naloxone, and theophylline, whereas haloperidol and especially α-adrenoceptor blockers (prazosin, HEAT, phenoxybenzamine) markedly reduced the anticonvulsant effect of MK-801. Haloperidol was selective for MK-801, not affecting the anticonvulsant actions of phenytoin or phenobarbital. Prazosin antagonized phenytoin and phenobarbital, but to a much lesser extent than it antagonized MK-801. MK-801 is an extremely potent and selective anticonvulsant acting at least partly via a catecholaminergic mechanism.     

The competitive NMDA receptor antagonists CGP 37849 and CGP 39551 are potent,orally-active anticonvulsants in rodents

Summary Anticonvulsant properties of CGP 37849 and CGP 39551, two novel phosphono-amino acids which are competitive NMDA receptor antagonists, were examined in rodents. At optimal pretreatment times CGP 37849 suppressed electroshock-induced seizures in mice and rats with ED₅₀ ^s ranging from 8 to 22 mg/kg after oral administration, and 0.4 to 2.4 mg/kg after i. v. and i. p. injection. Relative to CGP 37849, CGP 39551 was more potent after p. o. (ED₅₀ 3.7–8.1 mg/kg), and less potent after i.v. or i.p. treatment (ED₅₀ 2.7–8.7 mg/kg). Following oral treatment, the duration of action of CGP 37849 was about 8 h, while CGP 39551 still showed good activity after 24 h (ED₅₀ 8.7 mg/kg, mouse; 21 mg/kg, rat). Both compounds were anticonvulsant at doses below those at which overt behavioural side effects were apparent. CGP 39551 delayed the development of kindling in rats at doses of 10 mg/kg p. o. and above, and showed weak anticonvulsant activity against pentylenetetrazolevoked seizures. CGP 37849 and CGP 39551 are the first competitive NMDA antagonists to show oral anticonvulsant properties in a therapeutically-useful dose-range, and hence are interesting candidates for novel antiepileptic therapy in man. Send offprint requests to M. Schmutz at the above address     

Discriminative stimulus effects of S(−)–methcathinone (CAT): a potent stimulant drug of abuse

Methcathinone (“CAT”) is a CNS stimulant that is a very significant drug of abuse in the former Soviet Union. It has also appeared on the clandestine market in the United States and has been recently classified as a Schedule I substance. In the present study, S(−)-methcathinone [S(−)-CAT, 0.50 mg/kg, IP] was employed as the training drug in a two-lever drug discrimination task in rats. Once established, the S(−)-CAT stimulus was shown to have a rapid onset to action (within 5 min) and a duration of effect of approximately 60–90 min. In tests of stimulus generalization (substitution), the S(−)-CAT (ED₅₀ = 0.11 mg/kg) stimulus generalized to S(+)-methamphetamine (ED₅₀ = 0.17 mg/kg), S(−)-cathinone (ED₅₀ =  0.19 mg/kg), S(+)-amphetamine (ED₅₀ = 0.23 mg/kg), aminorex (ED₅₀ = 0.27 mg/kg), (±)-CAT (ED₅₀ = 0.25 mg/kg), (±)-cathinone (ED₅₀ = 0.41 mg/kg), R(+)-CAT (ED₅₀ = 0.43 mg/kg), cis-4-methylaminorex (ED₅₀ = 0.49 mg/kg), methylphenidate (ED₅₀ = 0.83 mg/kg), and cocaine (ED₅₀ = 1.47 mg/kg). S(−)-CAT-stimulus generalization did not occur to fenfluramine, a structurally related nonstimulant anorectic. Lastly, haloperidol (AD₅₀ = 0.18 mg/kg), a dopamine receptor antagonist, potently antagonized the S(−)-CAT stimulus. It is concluded that S(−)-methcathinone is a very potent CNS stimulant, which appears to produce its stimulus effect, at least in part, via a dopaminergic mechanism. Received: 4 August 1997/Final version: 27 March 1998     

某些取代羟乙酸哌啶醇酯类化合物的合成及抗胆碱作用的研究

本文报道20个取代羟乙酸哌啶醇酯类化合物的合成及其中枢及外周抗胆碱作用。初步药理结果表明:其中一部份化合物具有较强的中枢及外周抗胆碱作用,尤以化合物Ⅲ的生理活性最强,其抗震颤素引起震颤的ED₅₀0.173 mg/kg,稍强或相当于著名的中枢抗M-胆碱作用的代表化合物——二苯羟乙酸-3-喹咛酯(QNB)的强度,值得进一步研究。     

Interference of antimycotics and other drugs with methohexital hypnosis in rats

Compounds of various pharmacological and chemical classes were studied for their interaction with methohexital hypnosis. Rats were treated daily for 5 days with an oral dose of a test compound or solvent. On days 1, 5, and 8 methohexital was injected intraperitoneally and the duration of hypnosis was measured. Three types of interaction with methohexital hypnosis were observed. Acute prolongation of hypnosis on day 1 was the most marked effect of fluconazole (median effective dose, ED₅₀: 8.66 mg/kg), but this occurred also with phenobarbital (ED₅₀: 26.4 mg/kg) and diphenylhydantion (ED₅₀: ～ 160 mg/kg). Tolerance to prolongation, i.e., a decrease of the hypnosis time by more than 50% from day 1 to day 5, was most marked with phenobarbital (ED₅₀: 12.6 mg/kg) and diphenylhydantion (ED₅₀: 113 mg/kg) but was also found with fluconazole (ED₅₀: 22.6 mg/kg). Shortened hypnosis times on day 8 occurred with phenobarbital (ED₅₀: ～ 40.0 mg/kg) and diphenylhydantoin (ED₅₀: ～ 160 mg/kg). The antimycotic itraconazole, the antidiarrheal loperamide, the thymosthenic agent ritanserin, and the antiallergics astemizole and levocabastine were devoid of interactions with methohexital. When compared with the basic activity of the tested compounds in rats, interference with methohexital hypnosis was most pronounced with phenobarbital (ratio 3.13) followed by fluconazole (ratio: 3.28) and diphenylhydantoin (ratio: 5.07).     

Ability of 3-carboxysalsolinol to produce ethanol-like discrimination in rats

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the possible generalization to 3-carboxysalsolinol (3C-SAL) in a group of rats trained to discriminate a low dose of ethanol (200 mg/kg IP) from the nondrug condition and in another group trained to discriminate 0.16 mg/kg IP apomorphine (AP) from the nondrug condition using a drug discrimination paradigm. In test sessions, ED₅₀ for ethanol was 52.0 mg/kg and ED₅₀ for AP was 0.01 mg/kg. In the ethanol-trained rats, 1.8 mg/kg 3C-SAL produced drug responses. In the AP-trained rats, 200 mg/kg ethanol produced drug responses whereas 1.8 mg/kg 3C-SAL produced only a partial drug response. The results are in harmony with the hypothesis that salsolinol in the central nervous system of the rat may be responsible for the discriminability of ethanol. The possible involvement of dopaminergic systems is discussed.     

Effect of typical and atypical neuroleptics on the behavioural consequences of activation by muscimol of mesolimbic and nigro-striatal dopaminergic pathways in the rat

Direct injections of muscimol into the ventral tegmental area (VTA) or substantia nigra zona reticulata (SNR) have been used to selectively stimulate the mesolimbic and nigro-striatal dopamine pathways respectively. Such injections induced locomotor activity, rearing, sniffing and in some animals an intermittent grooming response. These responses were rapid in onset, dose-related and relatively short lasting (<40 min). Selective increases in dopamine turnover were seen in the nucleus accumbens and in the striatum following VTA and SNR injections of muscimol (100 ng) respectively. Haloperidol inhibited the behavioural consequences of VTA and SNR injections of muscimol with similar potency (ED₅₀s 0.01–0.03 mg/kg IP), and fluphenazine did likewise (ED₅₀s 0.05–0.16 mg/kg IP). However, thioridazine (ED₅₀s VTA: 1.45–2.04 mg/kg IP, SNR 8.50–9.20 mg/kg IP) and in particular clozapine (ED₅₀s VTA: 0.24–0.58 mg/kg IP, SNR: 6.10–9.70 mg/kg IP) were more potent at inhibiting the locomotor activity and sniffing responses due to VTA rather than SNR administered muscimol. Since dopamine D₂ antagonists are believed to exert their anti-psychotic effects via an action on mesolimbic dopaminergic systems, and their ability to induce extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) is thought to be due to an action on nigro-striatal dopamine systems, these results suggest that the behavioural models described can be used to predict efficacy and side-effect liability of potential neuroleptic drugs.Preliminary accounts of these experiments were communicated to the Animal Models in Psychopharmacology and British Association for Psychopharmacology conferences held in Amsterdam and Cambridge, July 1990.     

Yohimbine-induced seizures in mice: A model predictive of potential anxiolytic and GABA-mimetic agents

Yohimbine potentiation of lethality in mice has been used as a model for the prediction of antidepressant agent [Quinton, 1963]. However, prior to death or at sublethal doses, yohimbine induces clonic convulsions. In Swiss-Webster mice (20–28 g) individually placed in clear plastic cylinders, the CD₅₀ (median convulsive dose) for yohimbine-induced seizures was 22.7 (18.9?27.3) mg/kg sc (subcutaneously). For anticonvulsant screening, compounds were administered intraperitoneally at appropriate pretreatment times prior to the CD₉₅ dose of yohimbine (45 mg/kg sc). The following anxiolytic and GABA-mimetic agents administered intraperitoneally dose-dependently antagonized yohimbine-induced clonic convulsions: diazepam (ED₅₀) = 0.26 mg/kg); chlordiazepoxide (2.0 mg/kg); CGS 9896 (0.82 mg/kg); CL 218,872 (3.7 mg/kg); zopiclone (19.0 mg/kg); tracazolate (61.3 mg/kg); clonazepam (0.02 mg/kg); phenobarbital (9.0 mg/kg); valproic acid (81.1 mg/kg); trimethadione (163.0 mg /kg); muscimol (0.82 mg/kg); AOAA (16.0 mg/kg); clonidine (0.22 mg/kg); and baclofen (4.0 mg/kg). On the other hand, the antiepileptic agents diphenylhydantoin, ethosuximide, and carbamazepine as well as the benzodiazepine antagonists CGS 8216 and RO 15 1788 were inactive. The neuroleptics haloperidol, chlorpromazine, and thioridazine were inactive, while clozapine displayed anticonvulsant activity (ED₅₀ = 30.4 mg/kg). Other inactive compounds include phenotolamine, propranolol, atropine, alpha-methyltyrosine, PCPA, reserpine, buspirone, DMI, and imipramine. Since yohimbine has been reported to be anxiogenic in animals and man, this assay may be relevant for the prediction of anxiolytic agents. Furthermore, compounds active in this test have shown anxiolytic activity in behavioral conflict paradigms.     

Aromatic amino analogues of artemisinin: synthesis and in vivo antimalarial activity

Nine orally active novel artemisinin derivatives were prepared from artemisinin by four-step synthesis, and the compounds were evaluated in the rodent model using multidrug resistant Plasmodium yoelii nigeriensis. All of the compounds exhibited antimalarial activities with the ED₅₀ ranging from 5.41 mg/kg–12.4 mg/kg. Among them, artemisinin derivative bearing N-(4-hydroxy-3-((4-phenylpiperazin-1-yl)methyl)phenyl) moiety (5f) was found to be the most active compound and was found to be three times more potent than artemisinin (ED₅₀ 16.4 mg/kg).