PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDIES ON THE CAUSATIVE AGENT OF CANINE HYSTERIA

¹ Division of Pharmacology, Food and Drug Administration, Federal Security Agency, Washington, D. C.

1. The dose-time curve of agene-treated gluten was found to resemble a hyperbola. The value for the threshold daily dose for accumulation to occur was found to be 70 mgm./kgm. for the dog and approximately 0.5 to 1.0 gm./kgm. or seven to fourteen times as great for the rabbit. These may be compared to acute toxicity values of 3.5 gm./kgm. for the dog and 10 gm./kgm. for the rabbit.

2. A considerable residue of the toxic effect tending to produce increased sensitivity on repeated administration remained after an interval of ten days.

3. The previous administration of agene-treated gluten in doses sufficient to produce ataxia lowers the threshold of reaction to metrazol. This reaction has properties of both canine hysteria and metrazol convulsion.

4. Hydration produced by the administration of water does not appear to precipitate fits in dogs administered sub-effective doses of agene-treated gluten.

5. Neither the administration of ammonium chloride nor sodium citrate affects the production of canine hysteria by agene-treated gluten.

6. Neither diphenylhydantoin nor trimethadione suppresses canine hysteria. Diphenyihydantoin and possibly also trimethadione potentiate the production of convulsions and death by agene-treated gluten.

7. Phenobarbital antagonizes the production of canine hysteria.