title: Effects of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) on open-field behaviour and neurochemical parameters of rats.
abstract: The effects of the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) on the central nervous system (CNS) were studied in rats. Behavioural and neurochemical studies were performed. Results show that acute and oral administration of dimethylamine 2,4-D was able to decrease locomotion and rearing frequencies and to increase immobility duration of rats observed in an open-field test. Treatment of rats with p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) was unable to change rat's open-field behaviour; 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) administration not only increased locomotion and rearing frequencies but also decreased immobility duration. Pretreatment of the rats with PCPA and 5-HTP decreased and increased dimethylamine 2,4-D effects, respectively. The herbicide was not able to change the striatal levels of dopamine and homovanilic acid but decreased the striatal levels of serotonin (5-HT), as observed for the doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg and increased those of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) as measured after the 200 mg/kg dose treatment. When the levels of serotonin and 5-HIAA were measured at the brain stem level, only those of 5-HIAA were modified, being increased by diethylamine 2,4-D (60; 100 and 200 mg/kg); this increment on 5-HIAA levels was observed even 1 hr after pesticide administration. Further analysis showed that 2,4-D concentrations chromatographically detected both in serum and brain of the intoxicated animals were dose-dependent, being found as early as 1 hr after the smaller dose of the herbicide used (10 mg/kg). The results suggest that diethylamine 2,4-D modify 5-HT functional activity within the CNS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Active Principles and Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Palermo-Neto
mesh_terms: D015084:2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015084:2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid; D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D004298:Dopamine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid