title: Effects of delta-aminolaevulinic acid upon electrical activity of rat spinal cord in vivo.
abstract: Bath applied delta-aminolaevulinic acid (ALA, 1-1000 microM), significantly depressed the frequency of spontaneous antidromic activity in the lumbar dorsal roots, and the amplitude of the monosynaptic component of the dorsal root-evoked ventral root reflex, in isolated rat spinal cord in a concentration-related manner. In contrast bath concentrations up to 1 mM ALA were found to produce no significant change in either the conducted afferent volley, nor field potentials recorded in the lumbar dorsal horn. These results indicate that the raised levels of ALA found in cerebrospinal fluid during porphyrias and lead poisoning may contribute to the neurological symptoms of these diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abdul-Razzak
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bagust
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects*; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid