title: The neurotoxic effects of methamphetamine on 5-hydroxytryptamine and dopamine in brain: evidence for the protective effect of chlormethiazole.
abstract: Studies were undertaken in mice and rats on the neurotoxic effects of methamphetamine on dopaminergic and 5-hydroxytryptaminergic neurones in the brain and the neuroprotective action of chlormethiazole. In initial studies, mice were injected with methamphetamine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) at 2 hr intervals, to a total of 4 times. This procedure produced a 66% loss of striatal dopamine and a 50% loss of tyrosine hydroxylase activity 3 days later. Chlormethiazole (50 mg/kg, i.p.), given 15 min before each dose of methamphetamine, totally prevented the methamphetamine-induced loss of tyrosine hydroxylase activity and partly prevented the loss of dopamine. Phencyclidine (20 mg/kg, i.p.), given in place of chlormethiazole, also prevented the loss of tyrosine hydroxylase. Administration to rats of 4 doses of methamphetamine (15 mg/kg, i.p.) at 3 hr intervals resulted in a 75% loss of striatal dopamine 3 days later and a similar loss of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in cortex and hippocampus. Chlormethiazole (50 mg/kg, i.p.), given 15 min before each injection of methamphetamine, protected against the loss of dopamine and indoleamine content, in the respective regions. Pentobarbital (25 mg/kg, i.p.) also provided substantial protection but diazepam (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.) was without effect. Confirming earlier studies, dizocilpine (1 mg/kg) also provided substantial protection against the methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity. Preliminary data indicated that chlormethiazole was not neuroprotective because of a hypothermic action. These data therefore demonstrate that chlormethiazole is an effective neuroprotective agent against methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity and extend the evidence for the possible value of this drug in preventing neurodegeneration.
authors.affiliation: Astra Neuroscience Research Unit, London, U.K.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: De Souza
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Cross
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002719:Chlormethiazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012016:Reference Values; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009498:Neurotoxins; D002719:Chlormethiazole; D012701:Serotonin; D008694:Methamphetamine; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D010424:Pentobarbital; D003975:Diazepam; D004298:Dopamine