The antinicotinic effects of drugs with clinically useful sedative-antianxiety properties.

Mice were given a drug per os and 2 h later were challenged with an intravenous LD95 of nicotine. Amitriptyline, imipramine, doxepin, meprobamate, chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, trifluoroperazine, haloperidol, thioridazine, chlorpromazine, phenobarbital, propranolol and diphenylhydantoin were all active in protecting mice from extensor convulsions and lethality. Iproniazid, tranylcypromine, atropine, benztropine and trimethadione were inactive. There appears to be a relationship between blockage of nicotine-induced extensor convulsions and lethality in mice and sedative-antianxiety effects in man. This relationship is especially good for drugs designated antidepressant, antianxiety and antipsychotic.