title: Role of serotonin (5-HT) in tolerance to ethanol and barbiturates.
abstract: Previously it has been shown that chronic administration of p-chlorophenylalanine (p-CPA), slowed the development of tolerance to ethanol, pentobarbital and cross-tolerance development to ethanol in rats chronically treated with pentobarbital. These findings have been extended by the following observations: (1) p-CPA slowed the development of tolerance to barbital as measured by motor impairment on the moving belt test, without altering the acute response. (2) p-CPA also reduced the tolerance to barbital as measured by sleeping time, in animals chronically treated with pentobarbital. (3) Administration of L-tryptophan increased the rate of tolerance development to ethanol as measured by motor impairment and hypothermia. These results further confirm and extend the generality of our observations that 5-HT may be involved in the development of tolerance and cross-tolerance to sedatives.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010134:Fenclonine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D000431:Ethanol; D014364:Tryptophan; D010424:Pentobarbital; D010134:Fenclonine