title: Anticonvulsant activation of pain-suppressive systems.
abstract: The effect of diphenylhydantoin, sodium valproate and carbamezepine on the enzymatic activity of the anterior mesencephalic periaqueductal grey matter was examined by a histochemical technique using density phase measurement. Diphenylhydantoin caused the greatest reduction in glutamate dehydrogenase and GABA. Only sodium valproate increased glutamate dehydrogenase and GABA and only diphenylhydantoin an increase in semi-aldehyde dehydrogenase activity. Central pain suppressive systems can be activated by certain anticonvulsants.
mesh_terms: D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D010487:Periaqueductal Gray / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D050644:Succinate-Semialdehyde Dehydrogenase; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D002220:Carbamazepine; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D014635:Valproic Acid; D010672:Phenytoin; D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases; C493647:Aldh5a1 protein, rat; D050644:Succinate-Semialdehyde Dehydrogenase; D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase