Pharmacological action of FD-008, a new dopamine-beta-hydroxylase inhibitor

The effects of 5-(4'-chlorobutyl)-picolinic acid (FD-008), a new dopamine beta-hydroxylase inhibitor of fusaric acid derivatives, on the central nervous system in mice and rats were investigated. FD-008 and fusaric acid did not show marked effects on spontaneous movement, convulsion, sleeping time, tremor and conditioned avoidance response but lowered the body temperature of rats at 100 mg/kg p.o. FD-008 potentiated the depressive action of ethanol on conditioned avoidance response in spite of the lack of aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibition. FD-008 markedly depressed the performance on a shuttle box and lowered the body temperature in rats after reserpine treatment at a dose at which FD-008 per se had no effect.