title: Antagonism of xylazine-induced depression of shuttle-avoidance responses in dogs by administration of 4-aminopyridine, doxapram, or yohimbine.
abstract: The effectiveness of 4-aminopyridine, doxapram, or yohimbine as antagonists against xylazine-induced CNS depression in dogs was evaluated and compared, using the 2-way shuttle-avoidance paradigm. All drugs were given IV to 5 male dogs trained to avoid mild shock by jumping over a hurdle within 10 s after initiation of an audible tone. At dosages of 1 and 2 mg/kg of body weight, xylazine abolished or significantly decreased the mean number of avoidance responses and significantly increased the mean latency of avoidance responses. The analeptic 4-aminopyridine (0.5 mg/kg) did not significantly antagonize xylazine in all dogs. One dog convulsed both times it was given xylazine followed by 4-aminopyridine, but did not convulse when given either drug alone. Doxapram (5.5 mg/kg), a short-acting analeptic and respiratory stimulant, was only partially effective in antagonizing xylazine, and its antagonistic actions were brief. Yohimbine (0.1 mg/kg), an alpha 2-adrenoreceptor-blocking agent, was superior to 4-aminopyridine and doxapram in its ability to antagonize xylazine-induced CNS depression. Yohimbine consistently increased the mean number of avoidance responses to the maximum of 8 and consistently decreased the mean latency of avoidance responses to control values in dogs given 1 or 2 mg of xylazine/kg. In dogs given 2 mg of xylazine/kg, yohimbine was significantly more effective than 4-aminopyridine or doxapram in its ability to increase the mean number of avoidance responses and decrease the mean latency of avoidance responses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
mesh_terms: D015761:4-Aminopyridine; D000631:Aminopyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D004315:Doxapram / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D013843:Thiazines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D014991:Xylazine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D015016:Yohimbine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000631:Aminopyridines; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D013843:Thiazines; D014991:Xylazine; D015016:Yohimbine; D004315:Doxapram; D015761:4-Aminopyridine