title: Tolerance to diazepam and methyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate measured in substantia nigra of benzodiazepine tolerant rats.
abstract: The spontaneous activity of neurons in the pars reticulata of substantia nigra (SNpr) was studied in chloral hydrate anesthetized rats. As a function of dose, intravenous diazepam decreased, and methyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (beta CCM) increased discharge frequency. Two days after terminating a one week treatment with flurazepam (FZP), both diazepam and beta CCM showed decreased ability to alter SNpr neuronal activity. Neither residual FZP nor down-regulation of benzodiazepine receptors can account for these results. In contrast, behavioral testing revealed no change in the ability of i.v. beta CCM to cause convulsions, suggesting that sites other than the SNpr are of prime importance in expressing the convulsant actions of systemically injected beta CCM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo 43699.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Tietz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Chiu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002243:Carbolines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002697:Chloral Hydrate; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D004594:Electrophysiology; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D002243:Carbolines; D001569:Benzodiazepines; C026072:1-methyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylic acid; D002697:Chloral Hydrate; D003975:Diazepam