Effect of lergotrile on3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) concentration and dopamine turnover in rat brain
- 1 March 1978
- journal article
- Published by Springer Nature in Journal of Neural Transmission
- Vol. 42 (1), 23-35
- https://doi.org/10.1007/bf01262726
Abstract
Lergotrile, a dopamine agonist, lowered whole brain DOPAC (3, 4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid) concentration in rats. At low doses down to 0.5 mg/kg of lergotrile mesylate, this effect occurred within 30 min, whereas at higher doses (20 mg/kg) the decline in DOPAC was delayed. The decrease in DOPAC persisted for several hours and presumably resulted from a compensatory decrease in brain dopamine turnover secondary to receptor stimulation by lergotrile. Other indications of decreased brain dopamine turnover after lergotrile included (a) a slower decline in dopamine concentration after synthesis inhibition byα-methyltyrosine, (b) a slower declineα-methyl-m-tyramine, a false transmitter that is stored and released by dopamine neurons, and (c) a decreased accumulation of dopamine in response toγ-butyrolactone, an agent that blocks firing and dopamine release by dopamine neurons. Lergotrile mesylate (20 mg/kg) also increased brain levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethylene glycol sulfate, metabolites of serotonin and norepinephrine, respectively, and these increases were not antagonized by spiperone, a dopamine receptor antagonist.Keywords
This publication has 28 references indexed in Scilit:
- Bromocriptine and dopamine-receptor stimulationJournal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 1976
- Central dopaminergic neurons: Effects of alterations in impulse flow on the accumulation of dihydroxyphenylacetic acidEuropean Journal of Pharmacology, 1976
- Inhibition by dopamine agonists of dopamine accumulation following γ-hydroxybutyrate treatmentEuropean Journal of Pharmacology, 1975
- Effect of ergot drugs on central catecholamine neurons: Evidence for a stimulation of central dopamine neuronsJournal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 1973
- ET495 and brain catecholamine mechanisms: Evidence for stimulation of dopamine receptorsEuropean Journal of Pharmacology, 1972
- Effect of apomorphine and pimozide on synthesis and turnover of labelled catecholamines in mouse brainJournal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 1970
- Is There an Interaction between Dopamine and Noradrenaline Containing Neurons in the Brain?Acta Physiologica Scandinavica, 1970
- Evidence for dopamine receptor stimulation by apomorphineJournal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 1967
- A sensitive method for spectrophotofluorometric assay of catecholaminesInternational Journal of Neuropharmacology, 1964
- Effect of Chlorpromazine or Haloperidol on Formation of 3‐Methoxytyramine and Normetanephrine in Mouse BrainActa Pharmacologica et Toxicologica, 1963