EFFECTS OF INTRAVENOUS AND INTRACAROTID ADMINISTRATION OF RESERPINE ON CATECHOLAMINE CONTENTS OF THE BRAIN, HEART AND ADRENAL GLAND IN RABBIT

Abstract

The effects of reserpine on the contents in catecholamine in brain and peripheral organs, such as heart and adrenal gland in rabbit were studied in connection with the behavioral effects. Intravenous injection of 1.0 mg/kg of reserpine decreased the brain and peripheral catecholamine and the course of depletion of the amine coincided with that of the characteristic sedation induced by reserpine. Intravenous injection of 0.1 mgAg of reserpine considerably depleted the content of tissue amine. The reduction of the amine, however, was much less than that of intravenous injection of 1.0 mgAg of reserpine. But the depletion of the amine in the atria by 0.1 mgAg of reserpine was almost same as that by 1.0 mg/kg. Intracarotid injection of 0.1 mgAg of reserpine slightly increased or did not modify the content of the amine in the whole brain and brain stem at the first half hour of the administration. At this period, rabbits showed a slight sign of central excitement. Thereafter, the content of the amine decreased almost the same extent or somewhat stronger than in the case of the intravenous injection of the same dose of reserpine. Intracarotid injection of 1.0 mgAg of reserpine depleted much markedly the content of the amine of brain and peripheral organs than the decrease of the amine by the intravenous administration of the same dose.