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A comparison of the effects of 1-benzylpiperazine and dexamphetamine on human performance tests

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Summary

The effects of dexamphetamine (1 mg to 7.5 mg) and 1-benzylpiperazine (20 mg to 100 mg) on performance tests and cardiovascular responses were measured in two groups of 12 normal subjects. Drugs and dummy control were administered orally under double blind conditions at weekly intervals according to a balanced design. Significant (p<0.05) improvement occurred in an auditory vigilance test following both drugs, and this test was sufficiently sensitive to detect the changes produced by dexamphetamine 1 mg at the time of peak drug action. Subjective effects were only detected by the subjects after dexamphetamine 7.5 mg and 1-benzylpiperazine 100 mg. Significant changes attributable to drug treatment were not found in tests of short duration such as tapping rate, hand steadiness and arithmetic. Both drugs produced significant increases in heart rate and systolic blood pressure. It was concluded that 1-benzylpiperazine has psychomotor stimulant activity similar to dexamphetamine and that this was most reliably detected by using a prolonged signal detection test. The effects of 1-benzylpiperazine eye-drops (2%) on pupil diameter was investigated in 6 subjects who had had one eye pretreated with guanethidine (5%) eye-drops. 1-Benzylpiperazine gave effects similar to tyramine but significantly different from methoxamine indicating an indirect sympathomimetic action.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Wellcome Research Laboratories, Langley Court, Beckenham, Kent, England

    C. Bye, A. D. Munro-Faure, A. W. Peck & P. A. Young

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  1. C. Bye
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  2. A. D. Munro-Faure
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  3. A. W. Peck
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  4. P. A. Young
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Bye, C., Munro-Faure, A.D., Peck, A.W. et al. A comparison of the effects of 1-benzylpiperazine and dexamphetamine on human performance tests. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 6, 163–169 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00558280

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00558280

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