INTERACTIONS BETWEEN EPINEPHRINE AND SOME PSYCHOTOMIMETIC DRUGS

¹ Thudichum Psychiatric Research Laboratory, Galesburg State Research Hospital, Galesburg, Illinois

A quantitative analysis of the epinephrine potentiating effect on the nictitating membrane in the cat by psychotomimetic and chemically related drugs was performed. The potentiating threshold doses (µg/kg i.v.) of the drugs tested were: serotonin, 114.0; bufotenine, 5.5; mescaline, 152.0; harmine, 58.0; Dibenamine, 2.0; cocaine, 8.4; LSD-25, 1.42; LSM, 1.79; ALD-52, 2.4; LAE-32, 1.36; BOL-148, 149.0; ergotamine, 2.1; DHE, 1.3; methylergonovine, 1.6. Denervation of the nictitating membrane modified significantly the threshold doses of serotonin and cocaine. The potentiating effect of bufotenine, harmine, mescaline, cocaine, LSD and Methergine endures longer when doses greater than the threshold ones are injected. The potentiation by ergotamine and DHE can be seen only within a limited range of doses: after 70 µg/kg i.v., an antagonistic effect takes place.