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Title: Atropine, diazepam, and physostigmine: Thermoregulatory effects in the heat-stressed rat

Journal Article · · Life Sciences; (USA)
; ;  [1]
  1. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA (USA)

The authors have previously reported that administration of atropine (A) to unrestrained, sedentary, heat-stressed rats resulted in a dose dependent increase in heating rate. Additionally, we have demonstrated that the decrements in treadmill endurance and increments in heating rate of physostigmine (PH)-treated running rats can both be restored to control levels by pretreating the animals with A and diazepam (D). Our objective in the present work was to determine if the administration of D+PH to A-treated unrestrained, sedentary, heat-stressed rats could improve their thermal tolerance. The following drugs were administered singly via lateral tail vein: vehicle-control (C), A (200 ug/kg), D (500 ug/kg), and PH (200 ug/kg). After drug administration, the rats were heat-stressed until a core temperature of 42.6{degree}C was attained when they were removed to a 26{degree}C chamber. The heating rates ({degree}C/min) and tolerance times (min) of the respective groups were: C- 0.02, 235; A- 0.08, 58; A+D- 0.06, 94; and A+D+PH- 0.04, 143. Administration of D with A significantly decreased heating rate, and D+PH more than doubled the thermal tolerance of A-treated rats. Thus, the combination of A+D+PH not only restores PH- induced performance and thermoregulatory decrements of rats exercised in a moderate environment, but also reduces A- induced heat intolerance.

OSTI ID:
5349463
Journal Information:
Life Sciences; (USA), Vol. 44:25; ISSN 0024-3205
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English