Anticonvulsant and antipunishment effects of toluene

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5225677

Wood, R W; Coleman, J B; Schuler, R; Cox, C

Toluene can have striking acute behavioral effects and is subject to abuse by inhalation. To determine if its actions resemble those of drugs used in the treatment of anxiety (anxiolytics), two sets of experiments were undertaken. Inasmuch as prevention of pentylenetetrazol-induced convulsions is an identifying property of this class of agents, the authors first demonstrated that pretreatment of mice with injections of toluene delayed the onset of convulsive signs and prevented the tonic extension phase of the convulsant activity in a dose-related manner. Injections of another alkyl benzene, m-xylene, were of comparable potency to toluene. Inhalation of toluene delayed the time of death after pentylenetetrazol injection in a manner related to the duration and concentration of exposure; at lower convulsant doses, inhalation of moderate concentrations (EC/sub 58/, 1300 ppm) prevented death. Treatment with a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist (Ro 15-1788) failed to reduce the anticonvulsant activity of inhaled toluene. Anxiolytics also attenuate the reduction in response rate produced by punishment with electric shock. Toluene increased rates of responding suppressed by punishment when responding was maintained under a multiple fixed-interval fixed-interval punishment schedule of reinforcement. Distinct antipunishment effects were observed in rats after 2 hr of exposure to 1780 and 3000 ppm of toluene; the rate-increasing effects of toluene were related to concentration and to time after the termination of exposure. Thus, toluene and m-xylene resemble in several respects clinically useful drugs such as the benzodiazepines. 51 references, 3 figures, 2 tables.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Rochester, NY
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76EV03490
• OSTI ID: 5225677
• Journal Information: J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.; (United States) Vol. 230:2; ISSN JPETA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKYLATED AROMATICS
ANIMALS
ANTICONVULSANTS
AROMATICS
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
BEHAVIOR
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSANTS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DATA
DEATH
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
DRUGS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HYDROCARBONS
INFORMATION
INHALATION
INTAKE
MAMMALS
MICE
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RATS
RODENTS
STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIPS
SYMPATHOLYTICS
TOLUENE
VERTEBRATES
XYLENES