Serotonergic potentiation of muscarinic agonist evoked tremor and salivation in rat and mouse.

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The dose-effect of oxotremorine upon the onset, duration and magnitude of tremor and salivation was studied in both mice and rats. The threshold doses of oxotremorine (SC) for eliciting tremor were above 50 micrograms/kg in mice and above 150 micrograms/kg in rats and the threshold doses for eliciting salivation were above 75 micrograms/kg in mice and above 200 micrograms/kg in rats. Alaproclate, a nontricyclic 5-HT uptake inhibitor, when injected 30 min prior to the administration of the cholinergic agonist, produced a dose-dependent enhancement of tremor and salivation in both rats and mice. Alaproclate itself did not produce these effects in the absence of a muscarinic cholinergic stimulant such as oxotremorine, arecoline or the acetylcholine esterase inhibitor physostigmine. Both salivation and tremor could be fully blocked by atropine at any dose of the cholinergic stimulant and of alaproclate used. The potentiating effects of alaproclate on salivation and tremor could also be blocked by two serotonin receptor antagonists, metitepine and danitracen, but not by metergoline or cinanserin. Other compounds which inhibit the uptake of 5-HT such as fluoxetine, citalopram, norzimeldine, zimeldine and the non-tricyclic antidepressant, iprindol, did not enhance the cholinergic agonist induced tremor or salivation under the same conditions as did alaproclate. It is suggested that alaproclate exerts the potentiating effect at a hitherto undefined serotonergic receptor site.