Effects of a new centrally acting muscle relaxant, NK433 (lanperisone hydrochloride) on spinal reflexes.

(-)-(R)-2-methyl-3-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-4'-trifluoromethylpropiophenone++ + monohydrochloride, lanperisone hydrochloride (NK433) administered intravenously or orally depressed the mono- and polysynaptic reflex potential, dorsal root reflex potential, flexor reflex mediated by group II afferent fibers, patellar and flexor reflexes. These effects were reduced by spinal transection. NK433 inhibited the facilitation of the flexor reflex mediated by group II afferent fibers that was induced by intrathecal administration of noradrenaline-HCl. (+)-(1R,2R)-2-methyl-3-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-1-(4-trifluoromethylphenyl)-1-pr opanol (LPS-9)-HCl, a metabolite of NK433, also inhibited the spinal reflexes. Given orally, NK433 had effects more than three times stronger and tending to be longer-lasting than those of eperisone-HCl. These results suggest that NK433 exerts a non-selective inhibition on spinal reflexes and that inhibition of the descending noradrenergic tonic facilitation within the spinal cord is involved in the mechanism of spinal reflex depression by NK433. LPS-9 could contribute to the potent activity of NK433 after oral administration.

Pharmacological properties of NK433, a new centrally acting muscle relaxant.

The pharmacological properties of NK433 ((-)-(R)-2-methyl-3-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-4'-trifluoromethylpropiophenone+ ++ monohydrochloride), a novel muscle relaxant, were investigated. NK433 inhibited intercollicular decerebrate rigidity (gamma-rigidity) and anemic decerebrate rigidity (alpha-rigidity) dose dependently. NK433 was stronger in inhibiting gamma-rigidity than alpha-rigidity. NK433 inhibited the increase in muscle spindle discharges induced by pinna pinching (gamma-activity) without affecting muscle spindle discharges or neuromuscular transmission. At muscle relaxant doses in decerebrate rigidities, NK433 did not affect the muscle tone induced by morphine-HCl nor that of normal animals. These results suggest that NK433 selectively depresses the excessive muscle tone of decerebrate rigidities through its effects on the central nervous system, and inhibition of gamma-activity causes a preferential depression of gamma-rigidity in comparison to alpha-rigidity. In i.v. experiments, the effects of NK433 on decerebrate rigidities were similar to those of eperisone-HCl and tolperisone-HCl, but in p.o. experiments, NK433 was at least 3 times as potent as eperisone-HCl and tolperisone-HCl.