title: delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) increases brain prostaglandins in the rat.
abstract: Intraperitoneal administration of 9-trans-delta-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major psychoactive component of cannabis, in doses of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg, produced a dose-related increase in the brain concentrations of prostaglandin (PG) E2 and PGF2 alpha in male rats 4 h after THC administration, as assessed by radioimmunoassay. A time-course investigation indicated that THC (2 mg/kg, IP) induced maximal increases in rat brain concentration of both PGs 2 and 4 h after administration; PG levels declined appreciably by 8 h and were normal by 24 h. A time-course study on the hexobarbitone (100 mg/kg, IP)-induced hypnosis potentiating effect of THC (2.0 mg/kg, IP) in male rats revealed that this pharmacological action of the cannabinoid correlated well with the time-course of the THC-induced increase in rat brain PG concentrations. The present study lends support to earlier reports contending that PGs may mediate some of the central actions of THC.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D015237:Dinoprost; D015232:Dinoprostone; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006591:Hexobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011458:Prostaglandins E / Q000378:metabolism; D011460:Prostaglandins F / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D011453:Prostaglandins; D011458:Prostaglandins E; D011460:Prostaglandins F; D013759:Dronabinol; D006591:Hexobarbital; D015237:Dinoprost; D015232:Dinoprostone