Abstract
The cholinolytic hallucinogens (atropine and hyoscine) reduce the acetylcholine content of rat brain (1) and certain parts of rabbit brain (2). The reduction in the acetylcholine content of the brain caused by these drugs may be related not only to their psychotomimetic effects (1, 3) but also to their amnesic effect (4) and electroencephalographic (EEG) effects (5, 6). The reduction in the acetylcholine content of certain parts of rabbit brain (2) may be related to the sleep like EEG pattern seen in these animals (5) but the corresponding EEG changes in rats have not been reported though atropine and hyoscine reduced the total acetylcholine content of rat brain (1) without any evidence of excitation or behavioural alerting. The purpose of the present paper has been to gather further information on the correlation between the EEG changes and the total acetylcholine content of the rat brain after the administration of atropine, hyoscine and total alkaloids of Datura alba. Total alkaloids of Datura alba were included in the study as the plant grows extensively all over India, contains mainly atropine and hyoscine (7) and frequently causes toxic effects like delirium, tremors, hallucinations and confusion similar to atropine poisoning.
