THE USE OF BENZEDRINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF NARCOLEPSY

Pharmacologic studies indicated thatBenzedrine has a more stimulating effect on the higher centers of the central nervous system than ephedrine, as manifested by its ability to awaken experimental animals from intraperitoneal barbital anesthesia and by its insomnia-producing effect in human beings.

Abstract

Benzedrine (β-phenylisopropylamine) is a sympathomimetic compound closely related to ephedrine and epinephrine (fig. 1). Pharmacologic studies indicated that this compound has a more stimulating effect on the higher centers of the central nervous system than ephedrine, as manifested by its ability to awaken experimental animals from intraperitoneal barbital anesthesia and by its insomnia-producing effect in human beings.1For this reason it was thought that it would be of interest to try this compound in clinical conditions in which this type of action would be desirable. Moreover, the compound seemed particularly suited for such application because of its low toxicity, its small cost and its prolonged action, as well as because of the fact that its side effects, such as stimulation of the peripheral sympathetic system, are not marked.2 Narcolepsy was chosen as the condition to be studied because the stimulation of the central nervous system induced by ephedrine