Objective assessment of cough suppressants under normal and pathological experimental conditions

Abstract

The influences of the antitussive activity of glaucine were studied in 56 non-anaesthetized cats under normal and pathological conditions. Cough was induced by mechanical stimulation of the airways with a nylon fibre. The authors found that if glaucine was administered at a dose of 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0 mg/kg b.w., i.p., it evoked statistically significant suppression on single cough components. After inflammation of the airways was induced with unsoluted croton oil, no decrease in antitussive activity of glaucine could be observed, according to the number of cough efforts, frequency, intensity of maximal cough effort, and intensity of cough attack during expiration. Glaucine used under such conditions was not found to be powerful enough to suppress either the intensity of maximal cough effort or the intensity of cough attack during inspiration. The antitussive effect of glaucine was stronger under pathological conditions (Staphylococcus-induced inflammation). The antitussive effect of glaucine was approximately the same as with codeine if administered in equal doses.