Melanotropic drugs and retinal functions. I. Effects of quinine and chloroquine on the sheep ERG.
The present work is the first in a series of investigations on the effects of melanotropic drugs on retinal function. Teh changes in the conventional ERG of the dark-adapted, intact sheep eye were studied after iv administrations of quinine and chloroquine. Both drugs influenced the ERG in principally the same way. Small doses changed only the c-wave amplitude which began to oscillate after a delay of about 1 hour. Larger doses had an immediate effect on both the b- and c-waves. The b-wave amplitude dropped and the c-wave showed an initial peak followed by oscillatory changes about 1 h later. These late changes were similar to those observed after administration of small doses of the drugs. The present results indicate that small doses of quinine and chlorquine have a delayed effect on the pigment epithelial cells, while larger doses exert a more immediate and general retinotoxic effect.
D000818:Animals; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004596:Electroretinography; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D011803:Quinine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012756:Sheep
D002738:Chloroquine; D011803:Quinine