title: Diazepam alters caffeine-induced effects on beta-endorphin levels in specific rat brain regions.
abstract: The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of caffeine and the benzodiazepine agonist diazepam, and a combination of both on beta-endorphin (beta-EN) levels in specific rat brain regions. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (150-200 g) adapted to a 12-hour light: 12-hour dark illumination cycle were used in this study. Caffeine (10 mg/kg), diazepam (2 mg/kg) or a combination of caffeine (10 mg/kg) and diazepam (2 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally to rats at 11:00 hr. Control animals were injected with saline. Animals were sacrificed by decapitation 1 h after injection, the brains were immediately removed; the cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus and midbrain were dissected and their B-EN levels measured by radioimmunoassay. Caffeine administration significantly increased B-EN levels in the cortex. Similarly, administration of diazepam alone resulted in a significant increase of B-EN levels in cortex. However, concurrent administration of diazepam and caffeine resulted in higher increase of B-EN levels in cortex. No significant changes in B-EN levels were detected in hippocampus and midbrain after administration of either caffeine or diazepam alone. On the other hand, when diazepam and caffeine were concurrently administered a significant increase of B-EN levels were observed in the midbrain. Moreover, administration of diazepam alone resulted in a significant increase of B-EN levels in hypothalamus. This increase was still observed following concurrent administration of diazepam and caffeine. These results clearly indicate that diazepam alters caffeine-induced effects on B-EN in specific rat brain regions.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee 32307, USA.
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Khalil
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Soliman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003623:Dark Adaptation; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002110:Caffeine; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D003975:Diazepam