ANTITUSSIVE EFFECT OF OXATOMIDE ON CITRIC ACID-INDUCED COUGH IN CONSCIOUS GUINEA-PIG .1.

Oxatomide (CAS 60607-34-3), a diphenylmethyl-piperazine benzimidazole derivative is a new oral antiallergic drug useful in asthma in prevent ing allergic attacks. Using the model of citric acid-induced coughing in the unanesthetized, unrestrained guinea pig the anti-tussive effect of oxatomide was investigated. The animals were treated with logarith mically increasing doses of oxatomide (0.5, 1, 2 mg/kg, suspended in 0 .5 ml of polyethylene glycol 200 + 0.5 ml of saline) and with the vehi cle alone administered intraperitoneally (1 ml) 45 min before the chal lenge. Oxatomide reduced the number of coughs during the 3 min of chal lenge, lengthened the time of onset and reduced the number of coughs a fter cessation of the challenge significantly and a linear dose-effect regression was observed.