title: Involvement of supraspinal imidazoline receptors and descending monoaminergic pathways in tizanidine-induced inhibition of rat spinal reflexes.
abstract: The neuronal pathways involved in the muscle relaxant effect of tizanidine were examined by measurement of spinal reflexes in rats. Tizanidine (i.v. and intra-4th ventricular injection) decreased the mono- and disynaptic (the fastest polysynaptic) reflexes (MSR and DSR, respectively) in non-spinalized rats. Depletion of central noradrenaline by 6-hydroxydopamine abolished the depressant effect of tizanidine on the MSR almost completely and attenuated the effect on the DSR. Co-depletion of serotonin by 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine and noradrenaline resulted in more prominent attenuation of tizanidine-induced inhibition of the DSR. Supraspinal receptors were then studied using yohimbine- and some imidazoline-receptor ligands containing an imidazoline moiety. Idazoxan (I1, I2, I3, and alpha2), efaroxan (I1, I3, and alpha2), and RX821002 (I3 and alpha2), but not yohimbine, an alpha2-adrenergic receptor antagonist with no affinity for I receptors, antagonized the inhibitory effects of tizanidine. Thus, supraspinal I receptors (most likely I3) and descending monoaminergic influences are necessary for tizanidine-induced inhibition of spinal segmental reflexes.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of CNS Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Yurika
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kino
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: Motoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Honda
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ono
mesh_terms: D015115:5,6-Dihydroxytryptamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018663:Adrenergic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000494:pharmacology; D003000:Clonidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019329:Idazoxan / Q000494:pharmacology; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D054755:Imidazoline Receptors; D008297:Male; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D016627:Oxidopamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011955:Receptors, Drug / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D012023:Reflex, Monosynaptic / Q000187:drug effects*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D018490:Serotonin Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018663:Adrenergic Agents; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D001572:Benzofurans; D007093:Imidazoles; D054755:Imidazoline Receptors; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central; D011955:Receptors, Drug; D018490:Serotonin Agents; D012701:Serotonin; C023754:tizanidine; D016627:Oxidopamine; C062597:efaroxan; D003000:Clonidine; D015115:5,6-Dihydroxytryptamine; D009638:Norepinephrine; D019329:Idazoxan