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Comparative behavioral effects of several anticholinergic agents in rats

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Summary

The behavioral effects of JB 329 (Ditran) were compared with those of several anticholinergic agents in rats.

The tertiary nitrogen-containing compounds (i.e. JB 329, JB 336, atropine, scopolamine) caused an increase in their spontaneous motor activity, decrease in food and water intake and an over-all decrease in the response in the various phases of the multiple schedules of reinforcement (i.e. shock avoidance, fixed-ratio water reinforcement, and time-out). The potency of JB 329 was similar to that of scopolamine and greater than that of JB 336. Atropine was 10 or more times less potent than scopolamine.

The quaternary analogues of these drugs showed similar, though very slight, and sometimes reverse effects. The site of action of the tertiary compounds thus appears to be central.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, Howard University, College of Medicine, Washington, D. C.

    S. N. Pradhan & Thomas Roth

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  1. S. N. Pradhan
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  2. Thomas Roth
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Supported by a General Research Support grant and a grant No. UI 00472 from the U. S. Public Health Service.

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Pradhan, S.N., Roth, T. Comparative behavioral effects of several anticholinergic agents in rats. Psychopharmacologia 12, 358–366 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00401415

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00401415

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