Skip to main content
British Journal of Pharmacology logoLink to British Journal of Pharmacology
. 1969 Feb;35(2):253–264. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1969.tb07984.x

Behavioural and biochemical effects of 2-(2,6-dichlorophenylamino)-2-imidazoline hydrochloride (St 155) on the central nervous system

R Laverty, K M Taylor
PMCID: PMC1703212  PMID: 5813113

Abstract

1. St 155 (2-(2,6-dichlorophenylamino)-2-imidazoline hydrochloride) (0.1-2.5 mg/kg subcutaneously) in rats prolonged chloral hydrate sleeping time, inhibited exploratory activity, reduced rotarod performance and pain-induced aggression; in rats and guinea-pigs conditioned avoidance behaviour was inhibited.

2. In most experiments St 155 was 5-7 times more potent than chlorpromazine on a weight basis. In white rats St 155 and chlorpromazine were equi-effective in inhibiting conditioned avoidance behaviour. St 155 was relatively less active than chlorpromazine in lowering body temperature.

3. Chronic treatment with St 155 resulted in a reduction of its hypotensive and sedative effects and caused irritability and spontaneous episodes of severe fighting in white rats.

4. St 155, at doses causing similar conditioned avoidance response inhibition, produced a significant increase in noradrenaline concentration in all brain regions except the striate. Radioisotope studies indicate an increase in noradrenaline storage without significant changes in metabolism.

Full text

PDF
253

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ASHCROFT G. W., SHARMAN D. F. Drug-induced changes in the concentration of 5-OR indolyl compounds in cerebrospinal fluid and caudate nucleus. Br J Pharmacol Chemother. 1962 Aug;19:153–160. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1962.tb01436.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. AZRIN N. H., ULRICH R. E., HUTCHINSON R. R., NORMAN D. G. EFFECT OF SHOCK DURATION ON SHOCK-INDUCED FIGHTING. J Exp Anal Behav. 1964 Jan;7:9–11. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1964.7-9. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. BROADHURST P. L. Determinants of emotionality in the rat. I. Situational factors. Br J Psychol. 1957 Feb;48(1):1–12. doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8295.1957.tb00594.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bock K. D., Heimsoth V., Merguet P., Schönermark J. Klinische und klinisch-experimentelle Untersuchungen mit einer neuen blutdrucksenkenden Substanz: Dichlorphenylaminoimidazolin. Dtsch Med Wochenschr. 1966 Oct 7;91(40):1761–1770. doi: 10.1055/s-0028-1111588. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. COOK L., WEIDLEY E. Behavioral effects of some psychopharmacological agents. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1957 Mar 14;66(3):740–752. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1957.tb40763.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Davidov M., Kakaviatos N., Finnerty F. A., Jr The antihypertensive effects of an imidazoline compound. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1967 Nov-Dec;8(6):810–816. doi: 10.1002/cpt196786810. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. FASTIER F. N., SPEDEN R. N., WAAL H. Prolongation of chloral hydrate sleeping time by 5-hydroxytryptamine and by certain other drugs. Br J Pharmacol Chemother. 1957 Jun;12(2):251–256. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1957.tb00129.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hoefke W., Kobinger W. Pharmakologische Wirkungen des 2-(2,6-Dichlorphenylamino)-2-imidazolin-hydrochlorids, einer neuen, antihypertensiven Substanz. Arzneimittelforschung. 1966 Aug;16(8):1038–1050. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Juorio A. V., Sharman D. F., Trajkov T. The effect of drugs on the homovanillic acid content of the corpus striatum of some rodents. Br J Pharmacol Chemother. 1966 Feb;26(2):385–392. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1966.tb01918.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Kobinger W. Uber den Wirkungsmechanismus einer neuen antihypertensiven Substanz mit Imidazolinstruktur. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Exp Pathol Pharmakol. 1967;258(1):48–58. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Laverty R., Taylor K. M. The fluorometric assay of catecholamines and related compounds: improvements and extensions to the hydroxyindole technique. Anal Biochem. 1968 Feb;22(2):269–279. doi: 10.1016/0003-2697(68)90316-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Michel D., Zimmermann W., Nassehi A., Seraphim P. Erste Beobachtungen über einen antihypertensiven Effekt von 2-(2,6-Dichlorphenylamino)-2-imidazolin-hydrochlorid am Menschen. Dtsch Med Wochenschr. 1966 Sep 2;91(35):1540–1547. doi: 10.1055/s-0028-1111550. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Nayler W. G., Rosenbaum M., McInnes I., Lowe T. E. Effect of a new hypotensive drug, ST155, on the systemic circulation. Am Heart J. 1966 Dec;72(6):764–770. doi: 10.1016/0002-8703(66)90159-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Ng J., McGrgor D. D., Taylor K. M., Smirk H. Properties of catapres, a new hypotensive drug: a preliminary report. N Z Med J. 1967 Dec;66(425):864–870. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Phelan E. L. The New Zealand strain of rats with genetic hypertension. N Z Med J. 1968 Mar;67(429):334–344. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Rand M. J., Wilson J. Mechanisms of the pressor and depressor actions of St 155 (2-(2,6--dichlorophenylamino)-2-imidazoline hydrochloride, Catapres). Eur J Pharmacol. 1968 Apr;3(1):27–33. doi: 10.1016/0014-2999(68)90044-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Randrup A., Munkvad I. Stereotyped activities produced by amphetamine in several animal species and man. Psychopharmacologia. 1967;11(4):300–310. doi: 10.1007/BF00404607. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. SMIRK F. H., HALL W. H. Inherited hypertension in rats. Nature. 1958 Sep 13;182(4637):727–728. doi: 10.1038/182727a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. STEINBERG H., RUSHTON R., TINSON C. Modification of the effects of an amphetamine-barbiturate mixture by the past experience of rats. Nature. 1961 Nov 11;192:533–535. doi: 10.1038/192533a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Schmitt H., Boissier J. R., Giudicelli J. F., Fichelle J. Cardiovascular effects of 2-(2,6-dichlorophenylamino)-2-imidazoline hydrochloride (ST 155). II. Central sympathetic structures. Eur J Pharmacol. 1968 Mar;2(5):340–346. doi: 10.1016/0014-2999(68)90184-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Simpson G. M., Kunz-Bartholini E., Watts T. P. A preliminary evaluation of the sedative effects of catapres, a new antihypertensive agent, in chronic schizophrenic patients. J Clin Pharmacol J New Drugs. 1967 Jul-Aug;7(4):221–225. doi: 10.1002/j.1552-4604.1967.tb00051.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. ULRICH R. E., AZRIN N. H. Reflexive fighting in response to aversive stimulation. J Exp Anal Behav. 1962 Oct;5:511–520. doi: 10.1901/jeab.1962.5-511. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. WIRTH W., GOSSWALD R., HORLEIN U., RISSE K. H., KREISKOTT H. Zur Pharmakologie acylierter Phenothiazin-Derivate. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther. 1958 May 1;115(1-2):1–31. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Pharmacology are provided here courtesy of The British Pharmacological Society

RESOURCES