title: Alterations in brain 5HT and tryptamine content during indoleamine-induced myoclonus in guinea pigs.
abstract: L-5-Hydroxytryptophan (5HTP) (with or without carbidopa pretreatment), L-tryptophan (plus pargyline pretreatment), or tryptamine (plus pargyline pretreatment) all induced dose-dependent myoclonus in guinea pigs. At the time of maximal behavioural response animals were killed for determination of brain indoleamine content. Administration of 5HTP (50-200 mg/kg) to naive guinea pigs, or of 5HTP (20-80 mg/kg) to carbidopa- (25 mg/kg 1 hr previously) pretreated animals, markedly elevated brain 5-hydroxytryptamine (5HT) concentrations but depressed whole brain tryptamine content. L-Tryptophan (50-200 mg/kg) administration to pargyline- (75 mg/kg 30 min previously) pretreated animals also increased cerebral 5HT levels. L-Tryptophan (200 mg/kg plus pargyline), elevated whole brain tryptamine content. Administration of tryptamine (40 mg/kg) to pargyline-pretreated guinea pigs caused a small increase in brain 5HT levels, but markedly elevated cerebral tryptamine content. 5HT appears to be the indoleamine mainly responsible for 5HTP-induced myoclonus but tryptamine predominates in tryptamine-induced myoclonus. Both 5HT and tryptamine may contribute to myoclonus induced by L-tryptophan.
mesh_terms: D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002230:Carbidopa / Q000494:pharmacology; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D009207:Myoclonus / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism; D010293:Pargyline / Q000494:pharmacology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014363:Tryptamines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014363:Tryptamines; D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D014364:Tryptophan; D010293:Pargyline; D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan; D002230:Carbidopa