title: Carbamazepine enhances brain production of kynurenic acid in vitro.
abstract: Disturbed formation of kynurenic acid, an endogenous antagonist of glutamate ionotropic receptors, might contribute to the pathogenesis of seizures. Here, the effect of anticonvulsant drug, carbamazepine on the production of kynurenic acid was studied. Carbamazepine (0.5-3 mM) enhanced kynurenic acid synthesis in rat cortical slices and also increased the activity of kynurenine aminotransferase (KAT) I at 0.1-3.0 mM concentration. Thus, anticonvulsant drugs, such as carbamazepine, might act partially via stimulation of kynurenic acid production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Skubiszewski Medical University, Jaczewskiego 8, 20-090 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kocki
authors.forename: Janusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kocki
authors.forename: Marian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wielosz
authors.forename: Waldemar A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Turski
authors.forename: Ewa M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Urbanska
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D007736:Kynurenic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D007737:Kynurenine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000637:Transaminases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D007527:Isoenzymes; D002220:Carbamazepine; D007737:Kynurenine; D000637:Transaminases; C021481:kynurenine-oxoglutarate transaminase; D007736:Kynurenic Acid