[Preclinical study of the safety of the new Soviet tranquilizer gindarin]

The Soviet plant tranquilizer gindarin (an isoquinoline series alkaloid I-tetrahydropalmatine) isolated from the tubers of Stephania glabra Miers was subjected to a preclinical study. As regards the toxicity measured during a single administration to the laboratory animals, gindarin may be classified with moderately toxic substances. Daily intragastric administration of gindarin to rats in doses of 20 and 60 mg/kg for 3 months is likely to give rise to the changes in functions of the CNS, liver and blood. In doses of 1--50 mg/kg gindarin does not exhibit any allergizing, mutagenic or teratogenic properties. Administration of the drug in doses of 1--50 mg/kg from the 1st to the 20th day of pregnancy has shown it to produce marked embryotoxic action. In view of this fact gindarin is contraindicated in pregnancy.