title: Involvement of nitricoxidergic system in the hypnotic effects of benzodiazepines in mice.
abstract: The influence of nitric oxide (NO) on hypnotic activity of diazepam, chlordiazepoxide and clonazepam was studied in mice. Administration of both non-selective NO synthase inhibitors: N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG) and selective NO synthase inhibitor 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) resulted in significant increase in the duration of diazepam-, chlordiazepoxide- and clonazepam-induced sleep. The effects of co-administration of the examined inhibitors with benzodiazepines were not changed by L-arginine, a substrate for NO formation. Administration of L-arginine alone had no effect on the duration of sleep induced by benzodiazepines. Methylene blue, the guanyl cyclase inhibitor, was able to increase the duration of benzodiazepine-induced sleep. These findings suggest that the cGMP/NO system may participate in hypnotic effects of benzodiazepines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacodynamics, Medical University School, Staszica 4, PL 20-081 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Sylwia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Talarek
authors.forename: Sylwia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fidecka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007191:Indazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D019335:Nitroarginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D007191:Indazoles; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D019335:Nitroarginine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D008751:Methylene Blue; C080122:7-nitroindazole; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester