title: Cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN 55,212-2 inhibits rat cortical dialysate gamma-aminobutyric acid levels.
abstract: The effects of the cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN 55,212-2 (0.1-5 mg/kg i.p.) on endogenous extracellular gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels in the cerebral cortex of the awake rat was investigated by using microdialysis. WIN 55,212-2 (1 and 5 mg/kg i.p.) was associated with a concentration-dependent decrease in dialysate GABA levels (-16% +/- 4% and -26% +/- 4% of basal values, respectively). The WIN 55,212-2 (5 mg/kg i.p.) induced-inhibition was counteracted by a dose (0.1 mg/kg i.p.) of the CB(1) receptor antagonist SR141716A, which by itself was without effect on cortical GABA levels. These findings suggest that cannabinoids decrease cortical GABA levels in vivo, an action that might underlie some of the cognitive and behavioral effects of acute exposure to marijuana.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pharmacology Section, University of Ferrara, Via Fossato di Mortara 17-19, 44100 Ferrara, Italy. frl@unife.it
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferraro
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Tomasini
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cassano
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Bebe
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siniscalchi
authors.forename: W T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Magee
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanganelli
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cuomo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Antonelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D048588:Benzoxazines; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D017551:Microdialysis; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid; D011955:Receptors, Drug / Q000819:agonists*; D000077285:Rimonabant; D014851:Wakefulness; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D048588:Benzoxazines; D009025:Morpholines; D009281:Naphthalenes; D010880:Piperidines; D011720:Pyrazoles; D043882:Receptors, Cannabinoid; D011955:Receptors, Drug; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; C070417:(3R)-((2,3-dihydro-5-methyl-3-((4-morpholinyl)methyl)pyrrolo-(1,2,3-de)-1,4-benzoxazin-6-yl)(1-naphthalenyl))methanone; D000077285:Rimonabant