title: Differential effect of desipramine and 2-hydroxydesipramine on depolarization-induced calcium uptake in synaptosomes from rat limbic sites.
abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the inhibition of synaptosomal 45Ca uptake by desipramine and its major metabolite 2-hydroxydesipramine in the rat hippocampus and cingulate cortex, areas associated with emotional control. A concentration-dependent inhibition of net depolarization-induced 45Ca uptake was observed for desipramine (20-200 microM) in synaptosomes from both sites. However, 20 microM 2-hydroxydesipramine failed to inhibit calcium channel function in either of the two limbic sites; higher concentrations (60 or 200 microM) did produce a minor degree of inhibition in hippocampus synaptosomes. Others have shown that the clinically encountered plasma concentrations of 2-hydroxydesipramine are lower than those of desipramine, and the brain concentration of 2-hydroxydesipramine is therefore not expected to surpass or even reach 20 microM. In view of the previously observed clinical activity of 2-hydroxydesipramine, the present results indicate that calcium channel antagonism may not be the basis for the therapeutic effect of tricyclic antidepressants.
authors.affiliation: Département de pharmacologie, Université de Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beauchamp
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lavoie
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Elie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D003891:Desipramine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D002118:Calcium; D003891:Desipramine; C028653:2-hydroxydesipramine