Effects of gentamicin on catecholamine levels in the striatum, hypothalamus, adrenal gland and vas deferens.
The effects of gentamicin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic, on changes in the catecholamine levels in the rat striatum, hypothalamus, adrenal medulla and vas deferens were studied. When rats were i.v. injected with gentamicin (1.0 mg/kg), the catecholamine content of all tissues increased 2-4 h after injection. The increases in catecholamine levels induced by gentamicin were about 1.4- to 2.3-fold those induced by saline. The effect of gentamicin was observed at 0.1 or 0.5 mg/kg, and was maximal at 2.0 mg/kg. The activity of tyrosine hydroxylase, a rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine biosynthesis, was markedly increased in all four tissues of rats treated with gentamicin (1.0 mg/kg, 4 h). However, direct addition of gentamicin to the tyrosine hydroxylase assay medium did not affect tyrosine hydroxylase activity. These data indicate that gentamicin administration to rats increases the catecholamine content of both central and peripheral catecholamine-containing tissues. The results also suggest that the effect of gentamicin is due to an indirect activation of tyrosine hydroxylase.
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Japan.
M
M
Mikami
E
E
Tachikawa
T
T
Kashimoto
D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
D002395:Catecholamines; D005839:Gentamicins; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase