title: Biochemical effects of minaprine on striatal dopaminergic neurons in rats.
abstract: The biochemical effects of minaprine, a new psychotropic drug, were investigated on striatal dopaminergic neurons in the rat. Minaprine did not displace [3H]spiperone in-vitro binding from striatal membranes but had clear effects on dopamine (DA) metabolites. Homovanillic acid (HVA) and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) were significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner after intraperitoneal administration of minaprine 30 min before killing. In rats injected with minaprine 15 mg kg-1 i.p. at different intervals, the decrease in striatal HVA and DOPAC was time-dependent and a concomitant rise in 3-methoxytyramine (3-MT) concentrations was observed. The maximum of these effects was reached 30 min after minaprine. When administered 5 min after a monoamineoxidase (MAO) inhibitor (pargyline, 100 mg kg-1 i.p.) and 30 min before killing, minaprine did not affect pargyline-induced changes in HVA, DOPAC and 3-MT levels. This together with other data suggests that minaprine affects DA metabolism by acting, at least partially, at presynaptic level through in-vivo inhibition of MAO activity.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D011724:Pyridazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D011724:Pyridazines; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; C006149:minaprine; D004298:Dopamine