Preclinical pharmacology of ropinirole (SK&F 101468-A) a novel dopamine D2 agonist

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Abstract

These studies characterise the pharmacology of ropinirole, a selective D-2 agonist. High-affinity human caudate binding revealed a Ki for D2 receptors of 2.9 × 10−8 M with no affinity for D1 at 10−4 M in the rat. Ropinirole was weakly active at α2-adrenoceptors and 5-HT2 receptors but inactive at 5-HT1, benzodiazepine and gamma-aminobu acid receptors or α1 and β-adrenoceptors. In rodents, ropinirole, like apomorphine, caused biphasic spontaneous locomotor activity and contralateral circling in 6-OHDA-lesioned mice with no tolerance to the latter after 14 days treatment. Amphetamine caused ipsilateral responses in the lesioned mice. Ropinirole did not cause marked stereotypies. In marmosets ropinirole (0.05–1.0 mg/kg SC or 0.1 mg/kg OPO) reversed all motor and behavioral deficits induced by MPTP. This response started 10–20 minutes after dosing, and exceeded 2 hours. No tolerance was seen following chronic b.i.d. treatment. Similar results were obtained with 1-dopa plus benserazide; however, 1-dopa always caused emesis, whereas beneficial effects were shown with ropinirole in the absence of this side effect. These results support the continued clinical assessment of ropinirole for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

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    Present address: Toxicol Laboratories, Ledbury, Herefordshire, HR8 1LH.

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