A STUDY OF THE CENTRAL PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTION OF PIPERINE AND ITS DERIVATIVES

Piperine and its derivatives (Antiepilepsirine, 7302, 7306, 7446, 7448) belong to a new class of anticonvulsants. In doses less than TD₅₀ they were found to be able to protect rats and mice from seizures produced by maximal electroshock, metrazol, picrotoxin, strychnine, tubocurarine and sodium glutamate, and reduce the mortality of animals to various extends. They appeared to have a wide anticonvulsive spectrum. Their action resembled diphenylhydantoin (DPH) in protecting rats and mice from maximal electroshock seizure (MES). However, piperine and its derivatives were shown to antagonize metrazol seizure without producing convulsions themselves in large doses.Piperine and its derivatives also resembled phenobarbital in their anticonvulsive spectrum, although they do not produce anaesthesia in large doses. In addition, they were found to have sedativeeffects and intensify the central action of other depressants.