A STUDY OF TWENTY-THREE QUATERNARY AMMONIUM IODIDES

¹ From the Lilly Research Laboratories, Indianapolis

A series of 23 quaternary ammonium methiodides has been studied in cats for their effects on the blood pressure, 17 of which are derivatives of phenyl-alkylamines, 1 that of tryptamine, 2 those of morpholine, and 3 those of the alkaloids tetrandrine, dendrobine, and harmine.

Twenty-one of the methiodides show a nicotine-stimulating action, 13 of which appear to have an initial muscarine-like action in addition. Acetyl-morpholine-ethanol methiodide has a pure muscarine-like action. The depressor action of harmine methiodide followed by a pressor action does not seem to be due to the nicotine-stimulating and muscarine-like effects.

In the majority of instances, the intensity of the nicotine-stimulating action of quaternary ammonium iodides does not parallel that of the pressor action of sympathomimetic amines, with reference to the chemical structure and stereoisomerism.