title: Convulsant versus typical barbiturates: effects on locomotor activity.
abstract: The present studies examined the effects of a typical (secobarbital) and a convulsant (cyclohexylideneethyl-5-barbituric acid [CHEB]) barbiturate on spontaneous locomotor activity in rats. Administered alone, secobarbital produced a mild stimulation of activity at a low (2.5 mg/kg) dose, and a dose-dependent depression of locomotor activity at higher (5-20 mg/kg) doses. Surprisingly, the convulsant barbiturate CHEB produced a depression of locomotor activity at all subconvulsant doses tested (2.5-20 mg/kg). IP administration of CHEB was also observed to produce abdominal muscle contractions (writhing). In a second experiment, it was found that the writhe-inducing compound para-phenyl-quinone (PPQ) did not affect locomotor activity, indicating that the depression of activity produced by CHEB was not secondary to its writhe-producing effects. In a third experiment, the "barbiturate antagonist" potential of CHEB was examined. Treatment with 10 mg/kg CHEB did not significantly alter the depression of locomotor activity produced by 10 mg/kg secobarbital. These data suggest that (1) typical and convulsant barbiturates are not strict opposites in terms of all of their behavioral actions and (2) CHEB may not be effective as a "barbiturate antagonist."
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Darnell
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: McCloskey
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Commissaris
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001463:Barbiturates / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003292:Convulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012631:Secobarbital / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D001463:Barbiturates; D003292:Convulsants; D012631:Secobarbital; C024321:5-(2-cyclohexylidene-ethyl)-5-ethylbarbiturate