THE INFLUENCE OF β-TETRAHYDRONAPHTHYLAMINE AND A DERIVATIVE ON THE CENTRAL EFFECTS OF 5-HYDROXYTRYPTAMINE, RESERPINE AND IPRONIAZID

Abstract

N-Methyl-N-propyl-β-tetrahydromphthylamine, a specific antagonist of 5-hydroxytryptamine on the isolated rat uterus preparation, fails to inhibit 5-hydroxytryptamine potentiation of the hypnotic action of hexobarbitone in mice. The potentiating actions of reserpine and iproniazid are likewise unaffected. The action of β-tetrahydronaphthylamine as an antagonist of the potentiating action of 5-hydroxytryptamine on hexobarbitone sleeping time in mice has been confirmed, and it has also been shown to be an effective antagonist of the sleep prolonging effects of reserpine. β-Tetrahydronaphthylamine also shows a partial antagonism to iproniazid potentiation of hexobarbitone hypnosis. These results provide an example of the lack of parallelism between the central and smooth muscle actions of 5-hydroxytryptamine antagonists.