Wet dog shake behavior in normal rates, elicited by benzylideneaminooxycarbonic acid derivatives

Abstract

Wet dog shake (WDS) behavior in rats, well known as morphine-withdrawal syndrome, could be elicited without concomitant symptoms for the first time chemically in non-morphine-addicted animals. The capability to produce WDS was correlated with a specific chemical structure among the title-compounds. The threshold-dose of the most effective agents was 25-50 mg/kg, rather independent of the mode of application. Maximal response of 10-20 WDS per min and animal were reached after application of 100-200 mg/kg. WDS behavior appeared within the first minutes after dose and lasted up to several hours. Detailed information is given on WDS-action of the substance Sgd 8473 = alpha [(4chlorobenzylideneamino)-oxy]-isobutyric acid and the influence by different pharmacologie agents thereon. Inhibition of WDS was produced by: narcotic analgesics, narcotic antagonists, psychosedativ drugs, yohimbine, dl-amphetamine, cocaine, apomorphine and clonidine. Without influence on WDS were: physostigmine, atropine, ganglionic- or adrenergic-blocking drugs, Dopa, MAO-inhibitors, serotonin- and histamin-antagonists and nonnarcotic analgesics. To some extent chemically induced WDS seemed to be susceptible like precipitated WDS. So Sgd 8473 could be qualified for differentiating narctic analgesics, for a "quasiabstinence" agent in research of dependence mechanisms and for a tool in neuroanatomical studies of the CNS.