Dopamine antagonistic effects of a series of analogues of oxiperomide and spiroxatrine measured behaviourally in the rodent.

The activity spectra of oxiperomide, spiroxatrine and analogues were determined in two experimental models of abnormal peri-oral movements (induced by intrastriatal dopamine and subcutaneously administered 2-(NN-dipropyl)amino-5,6-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene (NN-diPr-5,6-diOHATN) in the guinea-pig), and in a stereotypy test (induced by subcutaneous apomorphine in the guinea-pig); the ability of the test compounds to induce catalepsy or catatonia in the rat was also determined. The parent compounds oxiperomide and spiroxatrine possessed optimal activity in all tests, although responses to the series of compounds allowed clear differentiation between an ability to antagonize the peri-oral movements (dopamine- or NN-di Pr-5,6-diOHATN induced) and an ability to antagonize apomorphine stereotypy. However, all compounds that antagonized the abnormal peri-oral movements also caused catalepsy/catatonia. The results are considered in terms of the selection of suitable agent(s) for the treatment of peri-oral dyskinesias.