CENTRAL DEPRESSANT AND ANTICONVULSANT PROPERTIES OF GLYCEROL ETHERS ISOMERIC WITH MEPHENESIN

¹ Wallace Laboratories, Inc., New Brunswick, New Jersey

Seven ethers of glycerol isomeric with mephenesin were tested for their ability to produce paralysis, to modify electroshock seizures and to antagonize convulsions produced by strychnine, picrotoxin and tetanus toxin.

The 3-toloxy-1,2-propanediols were found to be better paralyzing agents than the corresponding 2-toloxy-1,3-propanediol isomers. Mephenesin (3-o-toloxy-1,2-propanediol) was superior to all other compounds in its paralyzing action and in its ability to relax spasm and rigidity produced by tetanus toxin.

The 2-o-toloxy-1,3-propanediol possessed greater activity in preventing electroshock seizures and in antagonizing strychnine than any of the other compounds. Differences between the compounds in their ability to antagonize picrotoxin convulsions were not well marked.

The relation between pharmacological properties and clinical efficacy of drugs of this class is discussed. The opinion is expressed that the paralyzing action is the property most closely related to the clinical effectiveness.

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