Comparison of central nervous system actions of taurine and N-pivaloyltaurine.

N-Acetyl, N-propionyl, and N-pivaloyl derivatives of taurine were synthesized by applying a modified Schotten-Bauman method starting from taurine and using the corresponding acid chloride or acid anhydride for direct acylation reactions. The central nervous system actions of these lipid soluble taurine derivatives, which were presumed to pass the blood-brain barrier, were studied and compared to those of taurine in mice. A large dose (15 mmol/kg) of intraperitoneally administered taurine lengthened the pentobarbitone induced sleep by 30%.

Cardiovascular and ventilatory effects of taurine and homotaurine in anaesthetized rats.

The cardiovascular and ventilatory effects of intravenous (i.v.) or intracerebroventricular (i.