Central action of cesium chloride in streptozotocin-diabetic mice.

The changes in the pharmacological responses to cesium were examined in streptozotocin(STZ)-induced diabetic mice. An acute administration of cesium chloride (10 mEqCs+/kg IP) to non-diabetic control mice elicited increased salivation and inhibition of respiration followed by death in about half of the animals examined. These effects of cesium were diminished in STZ-diabetic mice. LD50 for acute cesium was higher in STZ-diabetic mice (14.3 mEq/kg) than non-diabetic buffer controls (11.7 mEq/kg): however, subchronic administration of cesium did not decrease the LD50 in STZ-diabetic mice. The sleeping time induced by pentobarbital was reduced in STZ-diabetic mice and the reduction of the pentobarbital-induced hypnosis was reversed by subchronic cesium pretreatment but not by acute cesium administration. Methamphetamine-induced mortality was increased in STZ-diabetic mice and acute administration of cesium decreased the toxicity in both control and diabetic mice. Inhibition of locomotor activity elicited by acute single injection of cesium chloride was observed in both STZ-diabetic and non-diabetic mice. These results indicate that responses to cesium as well as centrally-acting drugs are affected differentially in STZ-diabetic mice.