Toxicological and pharmacological relations between levamisole, pyrantel and diethylcarbamazine and their significance in helminth chemotherapy
Forbes, L.S.
Southeast Asian Journal of Tropical Medicine and Public Health 3(2): 235-241
1972
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-1562 PMID: 5082852 Document Number: 45830
The effects of levamisole hydrochloride, pyrantel tartrate, morantel tartrate and diethylcarbamazine citrate were studied in the anaesthetized dog. All the drugs caused a precipitous pressor response and an enhancement of rate and depth of respiration. These effects were antagonized by hexamethonium and the pressor responses were nullified by the adrenergic blocking agent, phentolamine. The studies indicate that the anthelmintics all possess nicotine-like properties and mimic acetylcholine at the autonomic ganglia, adrenal medullae and respiratory chemoreceptors. Overt toxicity could occur if the anthelmintics were administered to patients exposed to drugs or substances with nicotine-like properties. [AS].