Tremor produced by Drugs

Abstract

IN the routine screening of drugs in mice, we have found only ten out of ten thousand compounds which produce sustained tremor. One of these, 1-4 dipyrrolidino-2-butyne, ‘Tremorine’, in doses of 5–20 mgm./kgm. produces tremor, salivation, meiosis, slight muscular weakness and rigidity lasting several hours. The effects are similar in mice, rats, guinea pigs, cats, dogs and monkeys. In the last-named species the picture is strikingly similar to human Parkinsonism. The antagonism of these effects is complete with various drugs used for treating Parkinsonism. Atropine, scopolamine and others are highly effective in small doses of 1–2 mgm./kgm. In contrast, hypnotics, anticonvulsants and ganglionic blocking agents were without effect on tremor in doses below those causing marked depression. It thus offers a specific method for the testing of possible anti-Parkinson agents.