[Effects of buflomedil on ambulatory activity and discrete avoidance responses in mice]

Behavioral effects of buflomedil, 4-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-1-(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)-1-butanone hydrochloride, a vasoactive drug, were investigated by means of ambulatory activity and the discrete lever-press and shuttle avoidance responses in mice. Single administration of buflomedil (1,3,10,30 and 100 mg/kg, p.o.) produced no marked change in the ambulatory activity and the discrete lever-press avoidance response. However, the ambulation-increasing effect of methamphetamine (2 mg/kg, s.c.) was suppressed by 30 mg/kg of buflomedil. The avoidance-suppressing effect of chlorpromazine (1 mg/kg, s.c.) was enhanced by 3 approximately 100 mg/kg of buflomedil, but the avoidance-suppressing effect of physostigmine (0.2 mg/kg, s.c.) was not modified by the same doses of buflomedil. On the other hand, the acquisition of the discrete shuttle avoidance response was not affected markedly by buflomedil 3, 10 and 30 mg/kg, p.o.) when the drug was administered immediately before the start of training. The present results suggest that buflomedil shows a central suppressing effect, probably through catecholaminergic neuronal systems, and that the effect is detectable only by the combined administration with typical psychoactive drugs.