title: Effect of nebracetam on content of high-energy phosphates and morphometry of rat astrocytes in vitro. Comparison with piracetam.
abstract: The present study was initiated to examine the effect of nebracetam, a nootropic drug, on various biochemical and morphometric parameters in order to gain some insight into the mechanism of this agent action. The content of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and phosphocreatine (PCr) and 3H-valine incorporation into proteins was measured and the morphometry was performed after nebracetam and piracetam treatment of rat astrocytes cultured in vitro with or without dibutyryl 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (dBcAMP). Nootropics were added into the culture medium for 2 weeks at the final concentration of 10(-7) M. Cultured astrocytes treated with either nebracetam or piracetam showed decreased intracellular ATP and PCr levels. The addition of nebracetam and dBcAMP to cultures caused an increase of PCr content in astrocytes. The astrocytes treated with nebracetam showed a decrease in 3H-valine incorporation. The increase of 3H-valine incorporation into astrocytes after piracetam with dBcAMP treatment was found. Nootropic drugs change morphometric parameters (cell area, perimeter and form factor) of cultured astrocytes. It can be concluded that nootropics have differentiated influence on both the energetic metabolism and morphology of rat astrocytes in vitro.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Silesian Medical University, 18 Medyków Str., 40-752 Katowice, Poland.
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Gabryel
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Pudełko
authors: H I
authors: HI
authors: Trzeciak
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Cieślik
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010725:Phosphocreatine / Q000378:metabolism*; D010889:Piracetam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014633:Valine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018697:Nootropic Agents; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; D010725:Phosphocreatine; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D014633:Valine; C056640:nebracetam; D010889:Piracetam