title: Melatonin increases in vivo GABA accumulation in rat hypothalamus, cerebellum, cerebral cortex and pineal gland.
abstract: The effect of melatonin on in vivo gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) accumulation in several brain regions was determined by measuring the increase of GABA levels following inhibition of GABA transaminase. A single melatonin injection (25-300 micrograms/kg) augmented significantly, by 17-20%, GABA accumulation in the hypothalamus and caused a dose-dependent increase of this parameter in the pineal gland. Significant rises of GABA accumulation were found in the cerebellum and cerebral cortex after administering 100-300 and 300 micrograms/kg of melatonin, respectively.
mesh_terms: D000612:4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D000480:Alkynes; D000614:Aminocaproates / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000480:Alkynes; D000614:Aminocaproates; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; C013785:4-amino-5-hexynoic acid; D000612:4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase; D008550:Melatonin