抄録
The function of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), one of the biogenic monoamines occurring in brain, remains largely unknown though direct and indirect evidences have been accumulating to show that there is an interesting but obscure relationship between brain 5-HT levels and behavioural changes. It is also regarded as a likely candidate for neurohumor transmission in brain though convincing proof is still lacking. These facts have prompted us to screen drugs for their possible central anti-serotonin activity in order to know something more about the function of 5-HT in the brain. Carlsson et al. (1) and Anden et al. (2) have made the important observation that electrical stimulation of nerves releases 5-HT from the spinal cord.
Tedeschi et al. (3) reported the central anti-serotonin activity of phenothiazines. Hodson (4) has reported the peripheral anti-serotonin activity of B.W. 501 C 67 (α-anilino-N-2-m-chlorophenoxypropyl acetamidine hydrochloride monohydrate) and B.W. 204 C 67 (α-m-methyl-anilino-N-2-m-methoxy phenoxy propyl-acetamidine hydriodoide). This paper deals with the results of screening the same compounds for their central anti-serotonin activity. Since 5-HT has been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of petitmal epilepsy (5), the effects of these drugs on the metrazol threshold test are also studied as this test selects those compounds useful in petit mal epilepsy (6).
