83474-08-2

Fenmetozole acts as an antagonist of α2-adrenergic receptor.

In mice, fenmetozole antagonizes both the ethanol induced increase in locomotor activity at 2.0 g/kg and the decrease caused by 4.0 g/kg. Moreover, fenmetozole attenuates the ethanol-induced reduction in cerebellar cyclic guanosine monophosphate content, but it significantly elevates cGMP levels in this tissue. Fenmetozole does not change ethanol induced increases in punished drinking in a conflict test, but when given at a high dose, fenmetozole decreases both punished and unpunished responding. Fenmetozole fails to precipitate ethanol withdrawal-like reactions when it is given to physically-dependent, intoxicated rats. Fenmetozole (15-30 g/kg) reduces ethanol-induced impairment of the aerial righting reflex without altering blood or brain ethanol content. Fenmetozole alone has no ffect on punished drinking and does not alter ethanol action in the paradigm except at the highest dose tested (30 mg/kg) in rats.