PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - D. I. MACHT
TI  - ACTION OF THE OPIUM ALKALOIDS, INDIVIDUALLY AND IN COMBINATION WITH EACH OTHER, ON THE RESPIRATION
DP  - 1915 Oct 01
TA  - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
PG  - 339--373
VI  - 7
IP  - 3
4099  - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/7/3/339.short
4100  - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/7/3/339.full
SO  - J Pharmacol Exp Ther1915 Oct 01; 7
AB  - 1. An improved and elaborate apparatus for studying respiration in intact unanesthetized animals has been described. 2. Of the primary opium alkaloids, morphin and to a lesser degree codein are sedative or depressant, while narcotin, papaverin, narcein, thebain, and cryptopin are stimulating to the respiratory center. 3. The action of combined opium alkaloids, is a summation of their individual effects. 4. On the bronchi, narcotin and papaverin are dilators, morphin is a dilator to a lesser degree, codein still less so, and the other alkaloids not at all. Morphin and narcotin seem to act antagonistically on the bronchi, their combined effect being a lesser dilatation than that produced by each of them individually. 5. It is hoped that the above findings will contribute to a more rational therapeutic use of opium and its derivatives.