title: Effects of carbamazepine treatment on pain threshold values and brain serotonin levels in rats.
abstract: The administration of carbamazepine to rats caused a significant increase in pain threshold values. Furthermore, treatment with carbamazepine lowered the concentration of tryptophan bound to plasma proteins and elevated the brain serotonin values. The high brain serotonin levels, observed in carbamazepine-treated rats, are probably attributable to an increased availability of brain tryptophan, since this amino acid has been substantially removed from the plasma protein compartment by carbamazepine treatment, which exhibits a high binding capacity to plasma proteins. The analgesic effects caused by carbamazepine administration have been attributed to increased levels of brain serotonin which is involved in the control of pain transmission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Chemotherapy and Medical Toxicology, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinelli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trivulzio
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tomasoni
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001682:Biological Availability; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D018712:Analgesics, Non-Narcotic; D001798:Blood Proteins; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012701:Serotonin; D002220:Carbamazepine; D014364:Tryptophan