Cytisine pharmacological action

Sparteine is the most important uterine stimulant of this group, which inclhdes also d-lupanine, lupinine, trilupine, and cytisine. Nicotine is discussed here also because of a very close similarity to cytisine in its pharmacological actions. 

Cytisine is almost indistinguishable from nicotine in its pharmacological actions. On the uterus, little effect is noted on isolated preparations, but in vivo, cytisine induces strong contractions (118, 119). According to Dale and Laidlaw, the effect produced by cytisine in the cat depends on the sexual state of the animal. The uterus of the virgin animal is inhibited, whereas that of the pregnant cat is stimulated. Powerful contractions have been observed after the intravenous injection of 1.0 mg. in the gravid animal. 

Cytisine. This base belongs to the same pharmacological group as nicotine.It is a powerful poison causing nausea, convulsions and death by failure of respiration. The nicotine-like action is shared by A -methyl-cytisine but the latter, according to Scott and Chen, who have made a detailed study of its action, is weaker and has about one-fortieth the toxicity of nicotine. 

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