title: Studies on the neuropharmacology of tert-butylurea in mice.
abstract: Tertiary butylurea has been investigated neuropharmacologically in mice and rats, and the results indicate that the compound possesses a marked CNS activity. It exhibited a pronounced activity against pentetrazole-induced convulsions and lethality, but the protection against strychnine-induced convulsions and lethality, was only partial. A significant prolongation of pentobarbital sleeping time by a subsedative dose of tert-butylurea was also observed. Protection afforded by tert-butylurea against tremorine-induced tremors and the intensity of its analgesic activity were both of moderate degree. In a subsedative dose range, tert-butylurea exhibited motor incoordination and behavioral effects with a decrease in the minor and the major movements of animals, as apparent from the treadmill and activity meter experiments respectively. The compound, however, does not seem to be a potent sedative-hypnotic agent, although there is a fairly good margin of safety between the hypnotic and the lethal dose orally. The anti-pentetrazole activity of tert-butylurea suggests its possible effectiveness against 'petit mal' seizures and, therefore, calls for additional studies to evaluate the anticonvulsant activity of tert-butylurea.
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001463:Barbiturates / Q000494:pharmacology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors; D014203:Tremorine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014508:Urea / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D001463:Barbiturates; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D014508:Urea; D014203:Tremorine