Effects of bulbocapnine on spinal reflexes of anesthetized and spinal rats.

Since all of the so-called "major tranquilizers" have the ability to induce catatonic states in experimental animals, this characteristic pharmacological property is commonly being used as a clue to detecting new compounds in screening tests. However, not all compounds that produce the catalepsy in animals are "tranquilizers". One remarkable example is bulbocapnine, an alkaloid isolated from Corydalis cava; it was first reported by Peters (1) that a catatonic state in mammals followed bulbocapnine treatment. Although it has been suggested that bulbocapnine catalepsy could serve as an experimental model for schizophrenia or Parkinson's disease, little is known of its effects on the neural com