Elements of Pharmacology

After 15 days of single daily oral administration of tricyclic antidepressants (imipramine, desipramine 10 mg/kg each, amitriptyline, nortriptyline 7.5 mg/kg each and protriptyline 5 mgikg) in rabbits, reduced the minimum effective dose of gallamine to elicit head drop. Potentiating effect persisted significantly up to 24 hour. Similarly double the doses of these tricyclic antidepressants reduced the quantity of gallamine significantly up to 48 h. and total recovery from the effect appeared after 72 h. It is suggested that the potentiation of the action of gallamine by tricyclic antidepressants may be of clinical importance in patients especially if any of these tricyclic antidepressants has been taken shortly before.