Chlordiazepoxide-induced ataxia, muscle relaxation and sedation in the rat: effects of muscimol, picrotoxin and naloxone.

Chlordiazepoxide-induced ataxia was potentiated by muscimol (0.5 mg/kg) and antagonised by picrotoxin (2 and 4 mg/kg) and by naloxone (2 and 4 mg/kg). The muscle-relaxant effects of chlordiazepoxide were not significantly altered by any of these three drugs and nor was the chlordiazepoxide-induced decrease in exploratory head-dipping. However, the sedative effects of chlordiazepoxide, measured by a reduction in spontaneous motor activity, were antagonised by picrotoxin.