ANTI-MOTION-SICKNESS EFFICACY OF SCOPOLAMINE 12 AND 72 HOURS AFTER TRANSDERMAL ADMINISTRATION

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 53  (8) , 770-772
Abstract
The antimotion sickness remedy, transdermal therapeutic system-scopolamine, administered in this experiment was scheduled to deliver 1.0 mg of scopolamine over 3 d [days] and its efficacy 12 and 72 h after administratoin was compared. In a double-blind study, 6 male college students were individually exposed to a standardized provocative test in a slow rotation room after 6 apparently identical treatments comprising 4 placebos and 2 medications. Efficacy was categorized as beneficial, inconsequential or detrimental. None of the responses was detrimental. Following the 1st administration of the therapeutic system, there were 4 beneficial responses after 12 h but none was beneficial after 72 h. Followng the 2nd treatment regimen, there were 4 beneficial responses after 12 h and 3 beneficial responses after 72 h. Great individual differences were demonstrated, 2 subjects accounting for 6 beneficial responses and 2 accounting for only 1 beneficial response. The difference in efficacy after 12 and 72 h has practical and theoretical significance. [The immediate concern of this research is to evaluate antimotion-sickness drugs for use on Spacelab missions. In Skylab missions, an elite group of astronauts experienced motion sickness for periods up to 3 d; hence, a candidate drug for prevention of motion sickness in future space missions is the transdermal therapeutic system (TTS)-scopolamine which is designed to deliver the medication over a period of 72 h.].