title: Effects of beta-adrenergic blockers on drug-induced tremors.
abstract: We studied the effect of various kinds of beta-adrenergic blockers on oxotremorine-, harmaline- and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-induced tremors in mice. To investigate what property of beta-blockers plays the main role in suppressing tremor, we employed five beta-blockers (propranolol, atenolol, butoxamine, pindolol, and arotinolol). All drugs suppressed oxotremorine-induced tremors but none reduced harmaline-induced tremors. Even though TRH-induced tremors were decreased significantly only by propranolol and high doses of arotinolol, all drugs had a tendency to reduce the tremor. We concluded that neuropharmacological mechanisms underlying to harmaline-induced tremors were different from those of TRH- and oxotremorine-induced tremors and that features of beta-blockers (beta 1- or beta 2-selectivity, intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, and membrane stabilizing activity) did not primarily contribute to the suppression of tremors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nomoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukuda
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D005583:Fourier Analysis; D006246:Harmaline; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010095:Oxotremorine; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D014202:Tremor / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D010095:Oxotremorine; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D006246:Harmaline