Effects of beta-adrenergic blockers on drug-induced tremors.

We studied the effect of various kinds of beta-adrenergic blockers on oxotremorine-, harmaline- and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-induced tremors in mice. To investigate what property of beta-blockers plays the main role in suppressing tremor, we employed five beta-blockers (propranolol, atenolol, butoxamine, pindolol, and arotinolol). All drugs suppressed oxotremorine-induced tremors but none reduced harmaline-induced tremors. Even though TRH-induced tremors were decreased significantly only by propranolol and high doses of arotinolol, all drugs had a tendency to reduce the tremor. We concluded that neuropharmacological mechanisms underlying to harmaline-induced tremors were different from those of TRH- and oxotremorine-induced tremors and that features of beta-blockers (beta 1- or beta 2-selectivity, intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, and membrane stabilizing activity) did not primarily contribute to the suppression of tremors.