Abstract
The anorexic and behavioural effects of Norfenfluramine were studied in rats. Two separate experiments were conducted involving administration by intra-peritoneal and sub-cutaneous routes respectively. Behavioural effects were assessed by time sampling categorisation on Days 1 and 14 of a 20 day chronic study and anorexic effects by daily weighing. Norfenfluramine was found to be a potent anorexiant, to which tolerance is established fairly quickly. It was also found to possess sedative properties after acute administration, but marked stimulant properties after 14 days chronic administration. These results are similar to those previously reported in a study of Fenfluramine, although the behavioural effects of Norfenfluramine are more marked. The results implicate Norfenfluramine in the anorexic and behavioural effects of Fenfluramine, and provide indirect confirmation of the suggestion made in an earlier paper that Fenfluramine may have chronic stimulant properties.
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The work reported here forms part of an M.Sc. thesis to be submitted to the Department of Psychology, U.C.N.W. Bangor.
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Goudie, A.J., Taylor, M. & Wheeler, T.J. Chronic anorexic and behavioural effects of the fenfluramine metabolite, norfenfluramine: An evaluation of its role in the actions of fenfluramine. Psychopharmacologia 38, 67–74 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421288
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421288