The Effect of Diazepam on Tolerance of a Mucous Membrane Irritant

Twenty-seven subjects selected on the basis of their Minnesota MULTIPHASIC Personality Inventory (MMPI) scale scores were exposed to CS (o- chlorobenzylidene malononitrile), a potent mucous membrane irritant. Following initial exposure, the subjects were exposed to CS after intravenous injection of either 10 mg of diazepam or saline. Comparison of initial exposure times to times after injection indicated that exposure times for subjects were significantly increased by diazepam, particularly for subjects with elevated MMPI scale scores. These same subjects had slightly lower initial exposure times than subjects who did not have elevated MMPI scale scores. It is suggested that diazepam improves tolerance times by reducing anxiety and is there fore more effective in subjects with higher levels of anxiety.