Accession Number:

AD0612318

Title:

CONTRASTS BETWEEN CENTRAL ACTIONS OF CONIINE AND STRYCHNINE (CONTRASTES ENTRE LES ACTIONS CENTRALES DE LA CONIINE ET DE LA STRYCHNINE),

Descriptive Note:

Corporate Author:

BRUSSELS UNIV (BELGIUM)

Personal Author(s):

• La Grutta,V.
• Desmedt,J. E.

Report Date:

1964-05-13

Pagination or Media Count:

9.0

Abstract:

The action of coniin or hemlock alcaloid has been analyzed in the cat and in the pigeon with the spinal cord transected at C2 and immobilized with FlaxedilR. The intravenous injection of 40-60 mgkg coniin elicits convulsive hypersynchronous activity in the telencephalon but does not modify the spontaneous electrical activity of the spinal cord. These effects contrast with those of strychnine which, in similar preparations, elicits convulsions restricted to the spinal cord. Furthermore the liminal doses of coniin are similar in pigeon and cat, whereas strychnine is about 20 times less active in the pigeon than in the cat. Coniin also antagonizes the olivo-cochlear post-synaptic inhibition without modifying the response evoked by sound in the auditory nerve. Coniin is thus the first drug, besides strychnine and brucine, shown to depress this inhibition. Significant differences namely in the intensity and rapidity of the antagonism suggest that the mode of action of coniin differs from that of strychnine. The interest of the tests used for the screening of strychnine-like actions is stressed. Author

Descriptors:

• (*STRYCHNOS ALKALOIDS
• PHARMACOLOGY)
• (*CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
• POISONING)
• (*POISONING
• ALKALOIDS)
• CONVULSIVE DISORDERS
• SPINAL CORD
• BRAIN
• NERVE CELLS
• AUDITORY NERVE
• PIGEONS
• CATS
• BELGIUM

Subject Categories:

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE