Abstract
Above all, the benzodiazepines have played a leading role in the neuro-pharmacological therapy of spasticity during the last two decades [10]. Here, in particular, diazepam is regularly used [17]. This applies both to oral [26] and to parenteral [25] applications. Even in other neurological conditions with increased muscular tonus (e.g. in tetanus intoxication), high-dose administration of diazepam [5] is sometimes a necessary measure. A decisive disadvantage of this high-dose long-term therapy of spasticity or tetanus intoxication with diazepam is its long half-life with systemic application. This can lead to hang-over symptoms for some days and in some cases to comatose conditions [15, 19].
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Andrews PR, Johnston GAR (1979) Commentary: GABA agonists and antagonists. Biochem Pharmacol 28:2697–2702
Benecke R, Hellweg C, Meyer-Lohmann J (1974) Activity and excitability of renshaw cells in non-decerebrate and decerebrate cats. Exp Brain Res 21:113–124
Bruggencate G ten, Sonnhof U (1972) Effects of glycine and GABA, and blocking actions of strychnine and picrotoxin in the hypoglossus nucleus. Pflügers Arch 334:240–252
Costa E, Guidoni A, Mao CC (1975) Evidence for involvement of GABA in the action of benzodiazepines: Studies on rat cerebellum. Adv Biochem Psychopharmacol 14:113–130
Femi-Pearse D, Fleming SA (1965) Tetanus treated with high dosage of diazepam. J Trop Med Hyg 68:305–306
Fowlks EW, Strickland DA, Peirson GA (1965) Control of spastic states in neurological patients with diazepam. Am J Phys Med 44:9–19
Geller E, Niv D, Matzkin C, Sibiger A, Nevo I, Cohen F, Braf Z (1985) The antagonism of midazolam sedation by Ro 15-1788 in 50 postoperative patients. Anesthesiology 63: A369
Geller E, Niv D, Rudick V, et al. (1984) The Use of Ro 15-1788: a benzodiazepine antagonist in the diagnosis and treatment of benzodiazepine overdose. Anesthesiology 61:A135
Haase J, Kuckuck J, Noth J (1971) Desinhibition der Extensor-Motoneurone nach intercolliculärer Decerebrierung. Pflügers Arch 325:14–27
Haefely W, Pieri L, Polc P, Schaffner R (1981) General pharmacology and neuropharmacology of benzodiazepine derivatives. In: Hoffmeister F, Stille G (eds) Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Herishanu Y, Landau H (1972) Diazepam in the treatment of strychnine poisoning. Br J Anaesth 44:747–748
Hösli L, Johnston GAR (1968) A pharmacological study of the depression of spinal neurons by glycine and related amino acids. Exp Brain Res 6:1–18
Hunkeler W, Mohler H, Pieri H, et al. (1981) Selective antagonists of benzodiazepine. Nature 290:514–516
Johnston GAR (1971) Bicuculline, an antagonist of GABA and synaptic inhibition in the spinal cord of the cat. Brain Res 32:69–96
Kendall MJ, Clarke SW (1972) Prolonged coma after tetanus. Br Med J 1:354–355
Lanz E, Däubler F, Eissner D, Brod KH, Theiß D (1986) Der Einfluß der spinalen Liquordynamik auf die subarachnoidale Ausbreitung rückenmarksnah applizierter Substanzen. Reg Anaesth 9:4–8
Margulies ME, Slade WR (1968) Clinical evaluation of diazepam in spasticity. Clin Med 75:47–51
Möhler H, Okada T (1977) Benzodiazepine receptors: Demonstration in the central nervous system. Science 198:849–851
Pierson GA, Fowlks EW, King PS (1968) Long-term follow-up in the use of diazepam in the treatment of spasticity. Am J Phys Med 47:143–149
Prokocimer P, Nicholls EA, Gaba DM, Merlone SC, Maze M (1985) Aminophylline shortens barbiturate sleep time in rats. Anesthesiology 63:A513
Randall LO, Kapell B (1973) Pharmacological activity of some benzodiazepines and their metabolites. In: Garattini S, Mussini E, Randall LO (eds) The Benzodiazepines. Raven Press, New York
Schmidt RF, Vogel ME, Zimmermann M (1967) Die Wirkung von Diazepam auf die präsynaptische Hemmung und andere Rükkenmarksreflexe. Arch Exp Pathol Pharmacol 258:69–82
Scollo-Lavizzari G (1983) First clinical investigation of the benzodiazepine antagonist Ro 15-1788 in comatose patients. Eur Neurol 22:7–11
Wiesendanger M (1972) Pathophysiology of muscle tone. In: Bauer HJ, Gänshirt H, Vogel P (eds) Neurology Series, vol 9. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York
Wilson LA (1970) The management of spasticity and rigidity using parenteral diazepam. Gerontol Clin 12:168–174
Wilson LA, McKechnie AA (1966) Oral diazepam in the treatment of spasticity in paraplegia. A double-blind trial and subsequent impressions. Scott Med J 11:46–51
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1988 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Gerlach, H., Müller, H., Boldt, J., Hempelmann, G. (1988). Animal Experiments on the Spinal Action of Midazolam. In: Müller, H., Zierski, J., Penn, R.D. (eds) Local-spinal Therapy of Spasticity. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-72954-6_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-72954-6_5
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-18295-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-72954-6
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive