Pharmacological studies of drug action on CNS, with special reference to effects of maprotiline

The effects of maprotiline, mainly on the CNS, were examined and compared with those of imipramine, methamphetamine and chlorpromazine. In the repeated administration and the stroboscope studies, maprotiline exhibited actions to increase behavioral activities of animals, just like amphetamine and imipramine. This appears to attest to pharmacological effects of maprotiline as an anti-depressant. It is noted, however, that whereas maprotiline shows a slight anti-apomorphine action in dogs and an inhibition of the spinal reflex action potential in cats, such actions are not recognized in other anti-depressants of the tricyclic groups including imipramine, amitriptyline, etc. These differences suggest the tranquilizing action of maprotiline at work, probably forming a specific pharmacological feature of maprotiline. Also, maprotiline increases body weight of rats strikingly, which seems to offer a wide range of clinical applications of this drug.