title: Induction of heat shock protein HSP-70 in rat retrosplenial cortex following administration of dextromethorphan.
abstract: Dextromethorphan, a non-competitive antagonist of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, is one of the most widely used non-opioid cough suppressants, and it is generally considered to be a safe drug. In this study, we have examined whether dextromethorphan is neurotoxic to rat cerebrocortical neurons. Induction of heat shock protein HSP-70, an indicator of cellular stress, was observed in the posterior cingulate and retrosplenial cortex of rat brain after a single administration of dextromethorphan (75 mg/kg). Furthermore, administration of dextromethorphan (75 mg/kg) caused vacuolization in the same regions. These results suggest that high doses of dextromethorphan could cause neuronal injury in the cerebrocortical neurons.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cortical Function Disorder, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Kodaira, Tokyo 187, Japan; Division of Drug Dependence and Psychotropic Clinical Research, National Institute of Mental Health, NCNP, Ichikawa, Chiba 272, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomitaka
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Narita
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Minabe
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iyo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukui