Authors : Syed Minnatullah Qadri , Ovidiu Burta and Olivia Ligia Burta
Abstract: Recent experimental and clinical studies clearly suggest the role of neurotranmitters like serotonin, gamma amino butyric acid, norepinephrine, dopamine and glutamic acid in the pathogenesis of tremors. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of imipramine, a tricyclic anti depressant drug that inhibits the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine, on harmaline induced tremors in rats. Four groups of wistar albino rats weighing 100 +/- grams were injected with harmaline (10 mg kg 1, intraperitoneally) for inducing experimental tremor. The animals in groups 2, 3 and 4 were orally administered imipramine in prophylactic form at doses of 30, 60 and 90 mg kg 1 respectively, half an hour before harmaline administration. The rats in the group 1, however, served as control and received only water. The latency of onset, intensity or amplitude and the duration of tremor were recorded. Random electromyography readings demonstrated the significant increase in amplitude of tremors in imipramine treated rats. Imipramine was found to have a significant exacerbating effect on the duration of tremor in a dose dependent manner. The amplitude of tremor also showed dose dependant augmentation. This study clearly suggests the harmful effects of imipramine on harmaline induced tremors and warrants the need for more clinical studies on the possibilities of administering imipramine in patients with essential tremor.
Syed Minnatullah Qadri , Ovidiu Burta and Olivia Ligia Burta , 2007. Preliminary Study on the Effect of Acute Imipramine Treatment on Harmaline Induced Tremors in Rats. Research Journal of Medical Sciences, 1: 223-226.