General pharmacology of the novel angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor benazepril hydrochloride. Effects on central nervous and sensory systems and other functions.

The effects of benazepril hydrochloride (CGS 14824 A, CAS 86541-74-4), a novel angiotension I converting enzyme inhibitor, on the central nervous systems, were studied in experimental animals. Benazepril hydrochloride (3 or 10 mg/kg/d, p.o. for 14 days) dose-dependently inhibited the increase in the blood pressure caused by continuous norepinephrine (NE) infusion in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and suppressed in seizures induced by a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, tranylcypromine in NE infused SHR. Benazepril hydrochloride transiently increased spontaneous motor activity in mice, tended to inhibit acetic acid-induced writhing in mice and decreased fast wave sleep and slow wave deep sleep on EEG in cats at a high dose of 100 mg/kg p.o. However, benazepril hydrochloride at the same dose showed no effect on other central nervous and sensory systems in experimental animals.