Antiparkinsonian-like effects of Plumbago scandens on tremorine-induced tremors methodology.

Tremorine-induced tremors model is used to evaluate antiparkinsonian drugs because rest tremor is a sign that distinguishes Parkinson's disease (PD) from other diseases. The effects of crude ethanolic extract (CEE) and total acetate fraction (TAF) of Plumbago scandens were investigated at several doses. These extracts at doses of 125 and 250 mg/kg i.p. failed to reduce tremors in tremorine-treated mice. TAF showed significant effects only at a dose of 500 mg/kg. Both CEE and TAF at doses of 1000 and 2000 mg/kg i.p. suppressed the tremors in a dose-dependent fashion for 60 min. Biperiden, an anticholinergic drug, was used as standard at a dose of 3 mg/kg i.p. This study suggests that P. scandens is a plant with possible therapeutic value for PD.

Pimprinine, an extracellular alkaloid produced by Streptomyces CDRIL-312: fermentation, isolation and pharmacological activity.

Pimprinine, an extracellular alkaloid has been isolated from the culture filtrate of Streptomyces CDRIL-312. Pimprinine was subsequently purified using silica gel column chromatography and also by preparatory thin layer chromatography. Some physicochemical properties, antimicrobial activities (in-vitro) and pharmacological activities of pimprinine were studied. Pimprinine showed promising anticonvulsant activity in both minimum and maximum electric seizure threshold test in mice. Its anticonvulsant activity is very much comparable to that of phenyl hydantion sodium. Pimprinine also inhibited effectively tremorine-induced tremors and analgesia in mice.

Ultrasonic analysis of tremorine and cold tremor activity in unanesthetized rats.

In order to quantify the tremorine and cold tremor activity in unanesthetized rats, a new ultrasonic motion transducer method was used. Both kinds of activity are reported as vibratory body motion that occurred between 18-32 Hz as determined by spectral analysis. The recorded signal was analyzed and its power spectrum was obtained through a fast Fourier transform operation. It was found that a negative linear relation occurs between shiver amplitude and ambient temperature (r = 0.999). A negative linear relation also occurs between metabolic rate and ambient temperature (r = 0.997). In addition, a positive linear relation between metabolic rate and cold shiver exists (r = 0.999). Both tremorine (30 mg/kg, i.p.) and cold tremor (Ta = 2-22 degrees C) activity monitored by the ultrasonic method were completely abolished by premedication with 1 mg/kg atropine. Thus, it appears that the advantages of this tremor detection method are that is non-invasive and non-contact. Therefore, the ultrasonic method provides a good choice for quantifying tremorine and cold tremor activity in unanesthetized animals during studies of thermoregulatory physiology or motor disorders.

The effect of furazolidone and furaltadone on drug metabolism in rats.

This work examines the effect of oral treatment of rats with the nitrofuran drugs furazolidone (FZ) and furaltadone (F) at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg for 4 days, or F in the drinking water at concentrations of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4% w/v for 14 days, on drug metabolism in vivo. FZ at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg, and F at a dose of 400 mg/kg or at a concentration of 0.4% w/v in water depressed growth and prolonged pentobarbitone-induced sleeping time. Treatment also significantly increased the blood concentration of metronidazole when measured 30 and 40 min after metronidazole administration. Administration of tremorine (25 mg/kg, i.p.) to control vehicle-treated rats produced within 2-3 min tremors, piloerection, profuse salivation, defecation urination and chromodacryorrhesis (red tears). The onset of appearance of these signs was delayed to 7-12 min in rats pretreated with FZ or F (100 mg/kg, 4 days) or cimetidine (50 mg/kg, i.p.) given 45 min earlier. Taken together, these results suggest that FZ and F inhibit drug metabolism in rats. Treatment with these nitrofuran drugs may alter the disposition of certain drugs which may be given concomitantly with them.

Effect of grapefruit juice on drug metabolism in rats.

The effect of grapefruit juice on in vivo drug metabolism was investigated in rats. The juice (4 ml or 8 ml/kg) was given orally once daily for 2 consecutive days and its effect on theophylline metabolism, pentobarbitone sleeping time and the tremorgenic action of tremorine was studied. The effect of grapefruit juice on some of these parameters was compared with that of the known drug metabolism inhibitor cimetidine given ip. Grapefruit juice at 4 ml and 8 ml/kg produced significant increases in pentobarbitone sleeping time that reached 46 and 79%, respectively, compared with 107% produced by cimetidine (50 mg/kg, ip). The juice at 4 ml/kg also significantly increased plasma theophylline concentration when measured 15, 30, 60 and 90 min after ip theophylline administration (10 mg/kg). Thereafter, no significant differences were detected in plasma drug concentrations between juice- and saline-treated animals. Administration of tremorine (25 mg/kg, ip) to saline-treated controls produced, within 2 or 3 min, tremors, piloerection, profuse salivation, defaecation, urination and chromodacryorrhesis (red tears). The onset of appearance of these signs was delayed to about 7 min in rats pretreated 1 hr earlier with either grapefruit juice (4 ml/kg, orally) or cimetidine (50 mg/kg, ip). The severity of the above signs was markedly reduced to a similar extent in both the juice- and cimetidine-treated rats. These results suggest that grapefruit juice may act as an inhibitor of drug metabolism in rats, and that its consumption may alter the disposition of certain concomitantly administered drugs.

The responsiveness of M2-muscarinic receptors in the posterior hypothalamus and brain stem of vasopressin hypertensive rats.

The response of an endogenous inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (type I inhibitor) to tremorine was used as an index of sensitivity of control muscarinic M2-receptors. Tremorine induced a dose-dependent increase in type I inhibitor activity in the posterior hypothalamus and brain stem. The action of the compound was blocked by pretreatment with aminophylline and atropine. Prolonged, 28 days treatment with lysine vasopressin (1 U/kg/day ip) induced hypertension and modified the dose-response curve for tremorine. Five times higher doses of tremorine than in normotensive rats were necessary to induce statistically significant increase in type I inhibitor activity in the posterior hypothalamus and brain stem suggesting subsensitivity of M2-muscarinic receptors in the brain areas responsible for the regulation of blood pressure.

[Pharmacological effects of the novel dopamine uptake inhibitor 1-[2-[bis(4-fluorophenyl)-methoxy]ethyl]-4-(3-phenylpropyl) piperazine dihydrochloride (I-893) on the central nervous system].

The effects of 1-[2-[bis (4-fluorophenyl)methoxy]ethyl]-4-(3- phenylpropyl) piperazine dihydrochloride (I-893) on the central nervous system were behaviorally and electroencephalographically investigated. Intraperitoneally injected I-893 (5-10 mg/kg) dose-dependently increased spontaneous motor activity in mice, but repeated injections did not affect the increase in the locomotor activity. In reserpinized mice, spontaneous motor activity was not increased by oral I-893. In alpha-MPT-treated mice, the motor activity was lower than that in vehicle-treated animals with intermediate doses (10-40 mg/kg, p.o.) of I-893, but there was no difference between the two groups with high doses. In rats with unilaterally 6-OHDA-induced lesion of the nigrostriatal pathway, I-893 induced circling behavior toward the lesioned side. Haloperidol-induced catalepsy in rats was reduced by I-893. Tremorine-induced tremor in mice was inhibited by I-893. The effect was not altered in the mice treated with I-893 for 10 days. Oral I-893 induced stereotypy in rats, but it did not affect methamphetamine-induced stereotypy. Hypnosis induced by barbiturates was antagonized by I-893. In rats treated with I-893 for 6 days, pentobarbital-induced sleep was not different from that in vehicle-treated animals on the day after the final treatment. Intravenous I-893 altered EEGs in the cerebral cortex and amygdala nucleus to low voltage and fast waves and altered hippocampal EEG to theta waves in immobilized rabbits. These results suggest that I-893 inhibits re-uptake of dopamine released by exocytosis and indirectly has dopaminergic effects.

General pharmacology of the novel angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor benazepril hydrochloride. Effects on central nervous and sensory systems and other functions.

The effects of benazepril hydrochloride (CGS 14824 A, CAS 86541-74-4), a novel angiotension I converting enzyme inhibitor, on the central nervous systems, were studied in experimental animals. Benazepril hydrochloride (3 or 10 mg/kg/d, p.o. for 14 days) dose-dependently inhibited the increase in the blood pressure caused by continuous norepinephrine (NE) infusion in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and suppressed in seizures induced by a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, tranylcypromine in NE infused SHR. Benazepril hydrochloride transiently increased spontaneous motor activity in mice, tended to inhibit acetic acid-induced writhing in mice and decreased fast wave sleep and slow wave deep sleep on EEG in cats at a high dose of 100 mg/kg p.o. However, benazepril hydrochloride at the same dose showed no effect on other central nervous and sensory systems in experimental animals.

Pharmacokinetics of muscarinic cholinergic drugs as determined by ex vivo (3H)-oxotremorine-M binding.

The pharmacokinetic parameters of muscarinic cholinergic drugs after intravenous (IV) and oral administration to mice was determined with ex vivo (3H)-oxotremorine-M (3H-Oxt) binding to the brain. Oxotremorine had a long duration of action, and arecoline had a short one. There was a significant correlation between the ex vivo ED50 and the in vitro inhibition constants (Ki). Tremorine, a prodrug, inhibited ex vivo binding, but was relatively inactive in in vitro binding. The quaternary amines, methylscopolamine and oxotremorine-M, and the hydrophilic compound, pirenzepine, were relatively weak in inhibiting ex vivo binding because of their poor penetration of the blood-brain barrier. Oxotremorine and BM-5 were similarly bioavailable to the brain by the IV and the oral route. These results indicate that the pharmacokinetic profile of muscarinic cholinergic drugs can be determined with ex vivo (3H)-Oxt binding.

Intoxication by tremorgenic mycotoxin (penitrem A) in a dog.

A 1-year-old Siberian Husky dog presented with severe muscle tremors after ingestion of a mouldy hamburger bun. Penicillium crustosum and the tremorgenic mycotoxin penitrem A were isolated from the remaining portion of the hamburger bun. When grown in pure culture, the isolate of P. crustosum produced large amounts of penitrem A, along with other penitrem compounds. This is the first reported Australian case of toxicosis by naturally occurring penitrem A.

GABAergic, dopaminergic and cholinergic interaction in tremorine-induced tremors in mice.

Antitremor effects of systemically administered GABA agonists (GABA and sodium valproate) and GABA antagonists (bicuculline and picrotoxin) were studied in mice against tremorine-induced tremors. None of the GABA agonists were found to possess any antitremor effect, whereas GABA antagonists were found to possess protective effect against tremorine-induced tremors. Simultaneous administration of GABA agonists with sub-effective doses of anticholinergic agent (scopolamine) did not potentiate antitremor effect of scopolamine, whereas GABA antagonists and effective doses of scopolamine when administered simultaneously resulted in antagonism of protective effect of scopolamine. Similarly, when GABA agonists and sub-effective doses of dopaminergic agent, bromocriptine, were administered simultaneously, the protective effect of bromocriptine was potentiated. When GABA antagonists and effective doses of bromocriptine were administered simultaneously, the protective effect of bromocriptine was antagonized. The modification of the protective effect of anticholinergic and dopaminergic agents by GABAergic agents has been explained on the basis of neurotransmitter interaction.

Antagonism by naloxone of anti-tremorine effect of bromocriptine in mice.

Effects of the opioid antagonist naloxone (10 mg/kg) and its interaction with anticholinergic (scopolamine) and dopaminergic (bromocriptine) agents against tremorine-induced tremors was studied. Naloxone (10 mg/kg) per se gave significant protection and significantly potentiated the protective effect of scopolamine against tremorine-induced tremors at 5 min only. When naloxone and subeffective dose of bromocriptine (2 mg/kg) were administered simultaneously, instead of protection, an enhancement of tremorogenic activity was seen. Although the exact mechanism of this drug interaction is far from clear, a multireceptor involvement (i.e. opioid, dopaminergic and cholinergic type) in the modulation of tremorine-induced tremors in mice has been speculated.

Modification of drug-induced tremor by systemic administration of kainic acid and quisqualic acid in mice.

The effects of excitatory amino acids, kainic acid and quisqualic acid, on the tremorine- and harmaline-induced tremor were quantitatively examined in mice using the power spectral analyzing method. The severity of the tremor was determined quantitatively in terms of the cumulative sum of the mean square value of the data. Kainic acid enhanced the tremor induced by tremorine but depressed the tremor induced by harmaline. Quisqualic acid depressed the tremor induced by both tremorine and harmaline in a dose-dependent manner. Kainic acid shifted the frequency of each component of the tremor induced by tremorine to the high frequency side, but quisqualic acid did not affect the frequency of tremor of the tremor induced by tremorine. The frequency of tremor of the tremor induced by harmaline was shifted by both excitatory amino acids to the low frequency side, and another component of tremor in the power spectral densities developed, of which the mean square values were very small. The present results suggest that, at least in part, the glutamatergic system can take a role on the modification of drug-induced tremor.

[Pharmacological properties of MO-8282, a novel antidepressant].

The pharmacological properties of MO-8282 (1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2-methyl-9H-dibenzo [3,4: 6,7]cyclohepta [1,2-c]pyridine maleate) as an antidepressant were investigated. At doses 10 times less than those of amitriptyline, MO-8282 showed similar potencies in reducing the duration of immobility during forced swimming in rats and in potentiating stereotype induced by L-DOPA. Intermediate doses of MO-8282 reduced the duration of immobility during forced swimming, in mice as well, suppressed muricide behavior of olfactory-bulbectomized rats and antagonized clonidine-induced suppression of exploratory activity in mice. MO-8282 moderately antagonized the ptosis but not the hypothermia induced by reserpine in mice. MO-8282 exhibited weak antagonism against the tremor, lacrimation and diarrhea induced by tremorine, but its activity was milder than that of amitriptyline. The uptake of noradrenaline into rat hypothalamic synaptosomes was inhibited by MO-8282 at concentrations 20 times less than equally effective doses of amitriptyline, but the uptake of dopamine or serotonin was unaffected by MO-8282. A single oral administration of MO-8282 at a dose of 30 mg/kg accelerated noradrenaline turnover, but did not affect dopamine and serotonin turnover in the rat brain. MO-8282 strongly inhibited noradrenaline-, histamine- or adenosine-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity of guinea pig brain. Its mode of action differed from that of imipramine, rather resembling that of mianserin. MO-8282 did not affect monoamine oxidase activity of rat liver. These results suggest that the pharmacological characteristics of MO-8282 are different from those of tricyclic antidepressants and rather similar to those of mianserin, but more potent. The results, therefore, indicate that MO-8282 is possibly a novel antidepressant.

The role of adrenergic mechanism in tremorine-induced tremors in rats: antitremor effect of beta-adrenoceptor antagonists.

Tranylcypromine (TCP) pretreatment was found to accelerate the tremorogenic activity of tremorine in rats. Conversely, reserpinization delayed the onset of induction of tremors, and a significant diminution in their intensity was observed in these rats. A comparative study of the antitremor activity of beta-adrenoceptor antagonists against this tremor-model showed that butoxamine (beta 2-antagonist) and propranolol (nonselective antagonist) were able to afford a rapid and powerful protection, whereas a weaker and delayed effect was observed in rats treated with the beta 1-antagonist, acebutolol. Furthermore, the antitremor activity of butoxamine and propranolol but not that of acebutolol was found to be potentiated and diminished in rats pretreated with reserpine and TCP, respectively. It was inferred that beta 2-receptor modulated the tremorogenic activity of tremorine, and that inhibition by propranolol or butoxamine of this subtype beta-adrenoceptor resulted in rapid and powerful suppression of tremors, and that the antiadrenergic activity of acebutolol was unlikely to have a role in its antitremor effect.

Depression of drug-induced tremor by a new isoxazol derivative in mice.

The effects of a newly synthesized compound, MLV-208, on drug-induced tremor were investigated in mice. The study involved a power spectral analysis of the random current induced by movement of a magnet attached to the mouse on a wire coil. To induce tremor, tremorine and harmaline were subcutaneously injected. The power spectral density function defined the frequency composition of the tremor, and its severity was determined quantitatively in terms of the mean square value of the data in any frequency range of concern. MLV-208 depressed the power spectral density of both the tremorine- and harmaline-induced tremors, but reduced more effectively the former than the latter. The peak frequency of the tremorine-induced tremor did not change in the presence of MLV-208, while MLV-208 sometimes developed a new peak of the power spectral densities of the harmaline-induced tremor in the low frequency side, in addition to the original tremor component.

The automated analysis of coordinated hindlimb movement in rats during acute and prolonged exposure to toxic agents.

The effects of CNS-active drugs and neurotoxic agents on motor coordination in the rat were studied using a newly developed, automated technique. In this test, a tv/microprocessor-based system was utilized to detect and describe the movement and placement characteristics of one of the rat's hindpaws as the rat placed its paw from one rung to another while walking in a rotating wheel. In studies employing a wheel speed of 8.2 cm/sec and a single 90-sec trial, significant deficits in coordinated hindlimb movement could be detected following the acute ip administration of a variety of compounds, including acrylamide (0, 50, and 100 mg/kg), diazepam (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/kg), ethyl alcohol (0, 600, 900, and 1200 mg/kg), and tremorine (0, 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 mg/kg). Further, results from a subacute study involving the oral administration of 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD; 0, 250, and 600 mg/kg) indicated that rats treated with 600 mg/kg, 2,5-HD were significantly impaired after 1 week of treatment and those treated with 250 mg/kg 2,5-HD, after 2 weeks of treatment. Although both groups improved during the recovery period, the performance of the 600 mg/kg group 5 weeks post-treatment was still inferior to controls. Taken together, these studies indicate that the coordinated hindlimb placement test provides a reliable, sensitive, and rapid technique for quantifying deficits in motor coordination in the rat during acute and prolonged exposure to neurotoxic substances.

Further studies on quantification of drug-induced tremor in mice: effects of antitremorgenic agents on tremor frequency.

The effects of diazepam, dantrolene and atropine on drug-induced tremors were investigated in mice from the point of view of the tremor frequency. The study involved a power spectral analysis of the random current induced by movement of a magnet (attached to the mouse) on a wire coil. To induce tremor, tremorine and harmaline were subcutaneously injected. The power spectral density function defined the frequency composition of the tremor and its severity was determined quantitatively in terms of the mean square value of the data in any frequency range of concern. Diazepam markedly depressed the power spectral density of the tremorine- and harmaline-induced tremor and reduced the tremor frequency. With higher doses of diazepam, the peak frequency of the tremorine-induced tremor shifted to the lower frequency side as if the tremor components were taken into the component of the spontaneous motor activity. Dantrolene and atropine suppressed the power spectral density without affecting tremor frequency. The relationship between the change of tremor frequency and the site of action of antitremorgenic agents are discussed.

Quantitative analysis of drug-induced tremor in mice.

A method of analyzing tremor in mice was developed using a power spectral analysis of the random current induced by the movement of a magnet attached to a mouse, on a wire coil. The power spectral density function defined the frequency composition of the tremor, and the mean square value of the data in any frequency range of concern was determined. It was possible to determine qualitative differences in the tremor caused by various tremorgenic agents, and to differentiate the drug-induced tremor from spontaneous motor activity. The power spectral densities of the tremorine- and oxotremorine-induced tremors were tentatively expressed as the sum of 3 main components (Cauchy distribution) with different peak frequencies, consisting of the spontaneous motor activity component and two tremor components. On the other hand, the power spectral densities of the harmaline-induced tremor were expressed as the sum of two components with two peak frequencies, and the plots of the power spectral densities versus frequency, consisting of the spontaneous motor activity component and a tremor component. The frequency of the peak spectral density was almost independent of the dose of tremorgenic agents, but changed slightly with the lapse of time after their injection. The severity of the tremor was determined quantitatively in terms of the sum of the mean square value. The sum of the mean square value for a period of 45 min after the injection of tremorine, changed in a dose-dependent manner. The severity of the tremor was different for each of the mouse strains. The method studied in the present paper is expected to be utilized for the quantitative examination of the fine motor movement of the experimental animal, particularly, for the screening test of new anti-tremor drugs.