EFFECT OF METHYLMERCURY ON THE ETHANOL ELIMINATION FROM THE BLOOD AND THE ACTIVITY OF ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE

SHORT

BRAIN AND

SEROTONIN

COMMUNICATIONS

METABOLISM

J'-TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL-INDUCED MURICIDE

Tomio SEGAWA,

BEHAVIOR

Shinko

BANDO

IN

RATS

and Masumi HOSOKAWA

Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hiro.shima University School of ,Medicine, Hiroshima 734, Japan Accepted February 24,1977

In a previous

communication

feres with the release mechanism in brain

nerve endings

brain (1).

and

Since injection

we reported

transport

acid (5-H1AA)

behavior

of muricide

from the

in rats (2), it was of interest

behavior

could

be attributed

to the

in brain 5-HT metabolism.

Both sexes of Wistar experiment Kyushu tration

muricide

(THC) inter

(5-HT) at the vesicular membrane

of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic

of THC produces

to study to what extent the development changes

that d`'-tetrahydrocannabinol

for 5-hydroxytryptamine

was isolated

University

from

cannabis

of 10 mg per ml.

of Curzon

calculated

by determining

and Green

(5).

of rats 60 min after THC-injection sidered muricide-positive.

catalepsy-positive.

in the Department

THC

Turnover

A mouse

used in this

of Pharmacognosy,

and determined

(4).

in a final concen

spectrofluorimetrically

rate of 5-HT in brain was

the rate of rise of 5-HT after inhibition

of pheniprazine

extended

g were used.

in 1 ; , Tween 80-saline solution

Brain 5-HT was extracted

to the method

extremities

140-180

extract

(3) and was suspended

according

by administration

King A rats weighing

was introduced

of monoamine

oxidase

into the THC-treated

cage

and if the rats killed the mouse within 60 sec it was con

When THC-treated

and remained

rats were put on a 10 cm diameter

in position

In rats demonstrating

for more than

a muricide behavior,

ring with

30 sec they were considered catalepsy

was always present,

but the reverse was not always the case. Table I shows brain.

the relationship

between

rat behavior

and 5-HT turnover

rate in the

Five to 10 mg; kg of THC was injected i.p. in rats 60 min prior to the i.p. injection

of 3 mg/kg of pheniprazine

TABLE I

Turnover

and the rats were sacrificed 45 min later.

rate of brain 5-HT of rats (Wistar

*Significantly

different

from

different

control

at the

from

control level

at the of p

0.01.

level

The whole brain was

King A, female)

of

p~

0 .05.

treated

**Significantly

with THC

dissected

and the 5-HT content

Table 1, in rats with muricide

(excluding behavior,

both rate constant

were significantly lower than in controls. constant

or turnover

rate between

TABLE2.

Turnover

the cerebellum)

control

rate was also calculated

behavior,

we could not continue

the experiment

and THC-group indicate

Faculty

of Pharmaceutical

both rate constant

until a significant

that decrease

in the central

of muricide

by Kulkarni

of serotonergic

Acknowledgement:

The results presented

isolated

from the

in Table 2 show that

and turnover

rate decreased

difference

in turnover

rate between

was obtained.

those reported

is under the control

P2 fraction

however since only a few Wistar King A rats were available

for the development

closely parallel

rate of brain 5-HT

differences in either rate

and those with catalepsy.

in crude mitochondrial

as in the case of whole brain homogenates,

Our results

animals

of Segawa and Kuruma (6).

in rats with a muricide

responsible

and turnover

There were no significant

As is shown in

Turnover rate of brain mitochondrial P2 fraction 5-HT of rats (Wistar King A, male) treated with THC

brain by the method

control

was estimated.

neurons

behavior

serotonergic

et al. (7) who suggested in the amygdaloid

Thanks are due to Prof. I. Nishioka, Sciences,

Kyushu

University

neuron

in THC-treated

activity

may be

rats and the data

that muricide

behavior

region.

of the Dept. of Pharmacognosy,

for the generous

supply of THC.

REFERENCES 1) SEGAWA,T., TAKEUCHI,S. AND NAKANO,M.: Japan. J. Pharmacol. 26, 377 (1976); 2) UEKI, S., FUJIWARA, M. AND OGAWA, N.: Physiology and Behavior 9, 585 (1972); 3) SHOYAMAY., YAMAUCI-II, T. AND NISHIOKA, I.: Chem. Pharmaceut. Bull. 18, 1327 (1970); 4) CURZON, G. ANDGREEN. A.R.: Brit. J. Pharmacol. 39, 653 (1970): 5) TOZER,T.N., NEFF, N.H. ANDBRODIF, B.B.: J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 153, 177 (1966): 6) SFGAWA,T. AND KURUMA, I.: J. Ph(1rm. Pharmacol. 2, 320 (1968): 7) KIII_KARNI,A.S., BAIIWAN, R.G. ANDBOCKNIK, S.E.: Archs lift. Pharmacodl'n. Ther. 201, 308 (1973)