Biomaterial Database

Effect of benzazole-related centrally acting muscle relaxants on HPNS. 1988

F Bowser-Riley, and S Daniels, and E B Smith

Oxford Hyperbaric Group, Physical Chemistry Laboratory.

A series of benzazole-related, centrally acting muscle relaxants, comprising benzimidazole, chlorzoxazone, and zoxazolamine, were found to give substantial protection against the tremors and convulsions associated with the high pressure neurologic syndrome (HPNS) in the mouse. In this respect they represent a new class of nonanesthetic, anti-HPNS agents. Their anti-HPNS properties, like those previously established for the mephenesin group of centrally acting muscle relaxants, seem to be related to their ability to antagonize the convulsive action of strychnine. These findings are consistent with the suggestion that one of the principal effects of pressure, expressed as HPNS, arises from a perturbation of strychnine-sensitive mechanisms.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D009125	Muscle Relaxants, Central	A heterogeneous group of drugs used to produce muscle relaxation, excepting the neuromuscular blocking agents. They have their primary clinical and therapeutic uses in the treatment of muscle spasm and immobility associated with strains, sprains, and injuries of the back and, to a lesser degree, injuries to the neck. They have been used also for the treatment of a variety of clinical conditions that have in common only the presence of skeletal muscle hyperactivity, for example, the muscle spasms that can occur in MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. (From Smith and Reynard, Textbook of Pharmacology, 1991, p358)	Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxants,Central Muscle Relaxants,Relaxants, Central Muscle
D002493	Central Nervous System Diseases	Diseases of any component of the brain (including the cerebral hemispheres, diencephalon, brain stem, and cerebellum) or the spinal cord.	CNS Disease,Central Nervous System Disease,Central Nervous System Disorder,CNS Diseases,Central Nervous System Disorders
D002753	Chlorzoxazone	A centrally acting central muscle relaxant with sedative properties. It is claimed to inhibit muscle spasm by exerting an effect primarily at the level of the spinal cord and subcortical areas of the brain. (From Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoea, 30th ed, p1202)	Paraflex,Parafon,Parafon Forte DSC
D006610	High Pressure Neurological Syndrome	A syndrome related to increased atmospheric pressure and characterized by tremors, nausea, dizziness, decreased motor and mental performance, and SEIZURES. This condition may occur in those who dive deeply (c. 1000 ft) usually while breathing a mixture of oxygen and helium. The condition is associated with a neuroexcitatory effect of helium.	Experimental High Pressure Neurological Syndrome,HPNS,High Pressure Nervous Syndrome,High Pressure Neural Syndrome,High Pressure Neurological Syndrome, Experimental,HPNSs
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001562	Benzimidazoles	Compounds with a BENZENE fused to IMIDAZOLES.
D013331	Strychnine	An alkaloid found in the seeds of STRYCHNOS NUX-VOMICA. It is a competitive antagonist at glycine receptors and thus a convulsant. It has been used as an analeptic, in the treatment of nonketotic hyperglycinemia and sleep apnea, and as a rat poison.	Strychnine Nitrate,Nitrate, Strychnine
D015049	Zoxazolamine	A uricosuric and muscle relaxant. Zoxazolamine acts centrally as a muscle relaxant, but the mechanism of its action is not understood.
D051379	Mice	The common name for the genus Mus.	Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus