title: Modification of behavioral effects and biodisposition of phencyclidine in rats by ammonium chloride.
abstract: The ability of ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) treatment to alter the pharmacological effects and biodisposition of phencyclidine (PCP) was investigated in rats. Either a single gavage of NH4Cl (2.5 mEq/kg) or six hourly gavages with either 2.5 or 5.0 mEq/kg of NH4Cl decreased urinary pH to approximately 5.5 at the 7-hr time point. A single gavage with NH4Cl (2.5 mEq/kg) failed to alter the time course of rotarod performance in rats that had been treated 45 min earlier with either 10, 25 or 50 mg of PCP per kg (p.o.). A treatment regimen of six hourly gavages of NH4Cl (5.0 mEq/kg) proved to be highly toxic, whereas gavages with 2.5 mEq/kg did not produce overt effects. Six hourly treatments with the lower dose of NH4Cl did not alter motor impairment induced by oral doses of 10 and 25 mg/kg of PCP but did diminish that produced by 50 mg/kg. This treatment regimen also produced a slight reduction in the time course of motor dysfunction in rats receiving an i.v. injection of either 5, 10 or 15 mg/kg of PCP. The biodisposition of orally administered [3H]PCP (50 mg/kg) was altered by six hourly gavages of 2.5 mEq/kg of NH4Cl in that urinary excretion of [3H]PCP was increased whereas concentrations in kidney, lung and brain were significantly decreased at selected times. However, the brain concentrations of [3H]PCP, as measured by area under the curve, were not altered significantly by NH4Cl treatments.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000643:Ammonium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010622:Phencyclidine / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D000643:Ammonium Chloride; D010622:Phencyclidine