The effects of chronic administration of sumatriptan and dipyrone on serotonergic system in the rat brain: an immunohistochemical study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of chronic high dose sumatriptan and dipyrone treatment on central serotonergic system in rats.


METHODS
Male Sprague-Dawley rats (seven per group) were daily injected with sumatriptan (3 mg/kg), dipyrone (400 mg/kg) or saline for 30 days. The brains of animals were surgically removed and immunohistochemically stained for serotonin. Serotonin-positive stained cells were counted automatically by using a computerized image analysis program. Statistical analysis carried out using one-way ANOVA followed by post hoc Tukey test.


RESULTS
A significant decrease in serotonin-positive cells in the brainstem was observed after chronic sumatriptan administration while chronic use of dipyrone induced a significant increase in serotonin-positive cells both in the cortex and midbrain.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that central serotonergic system might be modified by chronic use of sumatriptan and dipyrone.
Department of Neurology, Meram School of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey. eminegencduran@gmail.com
E
E
Genç
M C
MC
Avunduk
B Oğuz
BO
Genç
A Saide
AS
Sahin
M
M
Oz
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004177:Dipyrone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018170:Sumatriptan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D004177:Dipyrone; D018170:Sumatriptan