Abstract
Many reports have hitherto been referred to nicotine-induced convulsions and death, and to the antagonistic effects of various drugs on them. Ganglion blocking agents (1-4), anticholinergic agents (3, 5-7), neuromuscular blocking agents (8, 10, 12), local anesthetics (7-10), some vitamins (8, 13), central depressants (6, 14-16), tranquilizers (6, 17) and some drugs belonging to other groups have been studied as to the protective properties from nicotine-induced convulsions and death. It is, however, difficult to draw an ultimate conclusion what the best antidote to nicotine is and how these drugs antagonize the actions of nicotine. Yamamoto and coworkers have reported the pharmacological studies on nicotine from the standpoints of toxicology and metabolism (18-24) and have demonstrated that thiamine was an interesting antagonist to nicotine, because of the inhibition to nicotine-induced convulsions and death, antidiuretic action and ganglion stimulating action etc. (24). The present experiment was intended to perform a statistical analysis to the antagonistic effects of various drugs on nicotine-induced convulsions and death in mice.
