ergoline and Muscle-Rigidity

A double-blind crossover study was performed in 12 patients with idiopathic parkinsonism to compare their response to bromocriptine with their response to previous optimal drug treatment, including levodopa. There was a 26 percent overall improvement with bromocriptine; rigidity, tremor, and facial expression showed the greatest response. Seven of eight patients who were taking levodopa at the beginning of the study was taken off the drug completely. Adverse reactions were transient and dose-dependent. Bromocriptine promises to be an effective new therapeutic agent in the treatment of idiopathic parkinsonism.

Topics: Aged; Bromocriptine; Clinical Trials as Topic; Drug Evaluation; Ergolines; Female; Humans; Levodopa; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle Rigidity; Parkinson Disease; Tremor

Muscular rigidity was induced in rats by reserpine (10 mg/kg) and the tonic activity of the gastrocnemic muscle was recorded in the electromyogram. Systemic administration of lisuride, an ergoline, resulted in a dose-dependent depression of rigidity. To examine the site of action of lisuride, we injected lisuride into the striatum, the ventricular space, and the spinal subarachnoid space of intact reserpinized rats. Lisuride is effective if injected into either the striatum or the spinal subarachnoid space, the spinal effect being more pronounced. These results suggest that the spinal cord is an important site of action of lisuride.

Topics: Animals; Corpus Striatum; Electromyography; Ergolines; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Injections; Injections, Intraventricular; Lisuride; Male; Muscle Rigidity; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Reserpine; Subarachnoid Space

Muscular rigidity was induced by reserpine (10 mg/kg) in rats and the tonic activity of the gastrocnemius muscle was recorded in the electromyogram. Systemic administration of lisuride, an ergoline, resulted in a dose-dependent depression of rigidity. To examine the spinal cord as a site of action for lisuride to depress reserpine-induced rigidity, a method for the chronic catheterization of the lumbar spinal subarachnoid space was used, which allowed the administration of drugs to reserpinized, intact rats without anaesthesia. Lisuride injected into the lumbar spinal subarachnoid space resulted in a longlasting depression of rigidity. These results suggest that the spinal cord is an important site of action of lisuride.

Topics: Animals; Catheterization; Electromyography; Ergolines; Injections, Spinal; Lisuride; Male; Muscle Rigidity; Rats; Reserpine; Subarachnoid Space

Topics: Animals; Antiparkinson Agents; Disease Models, Animal; Ergolines; Levodopa; Male; Muscle Rigidity; Rats; Urea

The antiparkinsonian activity of lergotrile mesylate, a presumed dopaminergic receptor stimulating agent, was investigating in monkeys with surgically induced tremor and in parkinsonian patients. The administration of lergotrile resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in the intensity of tremor in the monkeys. In 13 patients with Parkinson's disease treated with lergotrile (up to 12 mg a day), overall improvement was observed in five. Tremor was the main clinical feature to benefit, and the improvement reached statistical significance. In a subgroup of four patients treated with a higher dose of lergotrile (up to 20 mg a day), further improvement in rigidity and bradykinesia was noted, but again, only improvement in tremor was statistically significant. Adverse effects included orthostatic hypotension, behavioral alterations, and nausea and vomiting. These were severe enough to result in drug withdrawal in three patients.

Topics: Acetonitriles; Aged; Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Dopamine; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Evaluation; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Ergolines; Female; Gait; Haplorhini; Humans; Male; Mesylates; Middle Aged; Muscle Rigidity; Parkinson Disease; Prolactin; Receptors, Drug; Tremor