Effect of Drugs on Amino Acid Levels in Brain: Excitants and Depressants
Experimental Biology and Medicine April 1, 1961 DOI: 10.3181/00379727-106-26446 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Rat brain |
| Interventions | electroshock pentylenetetrazole semicarbazide strychnine picrotoxin caffeine pheniprazine amphetamine mescaline LSD phenobarbital chloral hydrate acetazolamide diphenylhydantoin meprobamate chlorpromazine methoxypromazine reserpine morphine |
| Topics | Mescaline |
| Keywords | Strychnine Convulsant Chlorpromazine Pharmacology Picrotoxin Meprobamate Taurine Semicarbazide Amphetamine Glutamine |
| Citations | 30 |
| Key findings | Convulsant and excitant agents raised brain alanine levels, semicarbazide lowered GABA to 60% of control, and chlorpromazine and methoxypromazine raised glutamine levels. |
Abstract
1. Effect of electroshock and 18 chemical agents (pentylenetetrazole, semicarbazide, strychnine, picrotoxin, caffeine, pheniprazine, amphetamine, mescaline, LSD, phenobarbital, chloral hydrate, acetazolamide, diphenylhydantoin, meprobamate, chlorpromazine, methoxypromazine, reserpine and morphine) was determined on the level of 10 ninhydrin-reacting compounds in the rat brain (glutathione, phosphoethanolamine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, GABA, glutamine, glycine + serine, alanine, taurine and ethanolamine). 2. The convulsant agents, pentylenetetrazole, semicarbazide, strychnine, picrotoxin and electroshock as well as the excitants, pheniprazine, amphetamine and mescaline, brought about significant rises in free alanine in the brain. Lowering of the GABA levels to 60% of that of the controls was brought about by semicarbazide but not by any of the other convulsant agents. 3. Two phenothiazine tranquilizers chlorpromazine and methoxypromazine, brought about a significant rise in level of brain glutamine.