Abstract
Summary
1. The action of 2,2-diethyl 1, 3-propanediol (DEP), a central nervous system depressant with anticonvulsant activity and 2,2-diethyl 1,4-butanediol (DEB), a central nervous system stimulant with convulsant action have been compared on isolated synapses and axons. 2. Both compounds caused an elevation of rheobase of desheathed rat sciatic nerve at a concentration of 4 mM/1 and no concentration tested caused an increase in excitability. Similarly, the treatment with each of these drugs of nerves rendered hyperexcit-able with calcium ion deprivation showed only a depressant action 3. Experiments on isolated rabbit intestine showed that both compounds acted only as depressants. At 1 mM/1 there was a depression of ganglionic transmission. 4. When the compounds were tested on simple reflex arcs in low spinal cats, DEP was depressant and DEB stimulatory.
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