A study of the possible influence of central 5-HT function on clonidine-induced hypoactivity responses in mice.
Administration of the alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist clonidine (0.1 mg/kg) produces hypoactivity in mice. This sedation response was unaltered by pretreatment with either the 5-HT reuptake inhibitor zimeldine (1 or 10 mg/kg) or the 5-HT agonist quipazine (0.25 or 2.5 mg/kg). The 5-HT1B agonist RU 24969 (0.2 or 1 mg/kg) enhanced hypoactivity responses at the higher dose. The non-selective 5-HT antagonists methysergide (1 or 10 mg/kg) and metergoline (0.2 or 1 mg/kg) potentiated clonidine-induced hypoactivity. However, the marked enhancement produced by metergoline may have been due to its potent action as a alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist. Nevertheless, the 5-HT2 antagonists ritanserin (0.1 or 1 mg/kg) and ketanserin (0.1 or 1 mg/kg) both potentiated clonidine hypoactivity in a dose-dependent manner. beta-Adrenoceptor antagonists also inhibit 5-HT1 receptors at high dose. Pindolol (10 mg/kg) had no effect on sedation, but [-]-propranolol (20 mg/kg) caused some attenuation. This latter effect was probably not due to inhibition of 5-HT1 receptors, because this reduction also occurred at low dose (2 mg/kg). Destruction of 5-HT neurones by intracerebroventricular injection of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (50 micrograms) resulted in a marginal increase in hypoactivity. In conclusion, these data shown that central 5-HT function can influence alpha 2-adrenoceptor-mediated hypoactivity responses. However, since these effects were usually only apparent after severe manipulation of 5-HT function, it suggests that while these interactions may be of pharmacological interest, they are probably not of physiological importance.
D015116:5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D003000:Clonidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D004347:Drug Interactions; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D015031:Zimeldine / Q000494:pharmacology
D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D015116:5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine; D012701:Serotonin; D015031:Zimeldine; D003000:Clonidine