title: Alteration of amino acid neurotransmitters in brain tissues of immature rats treated with realgar.
abstract: Realgar is a traditional Chinese medicine, which has been used for thousands of years and are claimed to have therapeutic effects. The toxicity from realgar or realgar-containing traditional medicines has raised public concern. However, the neurotoxicity induced by realgar is less reported. Amino acid neurotransmitters are closely linked to the vulnerability of the immature brain to neuronal injury. The investigation of amino acid neurotransmitters is important to understand the evolution of developmental brain damage. An improved HPLC-UV method was developed and applied to analyzing amino acid neurotransmitters of aspartate, glutamate, glutamine, homocysteine, serine, glycine, γ-aminobutyric acid and taurine in brain tissues of immature rats after the treatment of realgar. Significant changes of these amino acid neurotransmitters were observed in realgar treated groups. Negative correlations were found between the levels of some amino acids and the contents of arsenic in brain tissues. The result indicates that the neurotoxicity induced by realgar is associated with its effects on amino acid neurotransmitters.
authors: Department of Health Laboratory Technology, College of Public Health, China Medical University, No. 92 of Beima Road, Heping District, Shenyang 110001, PR China.
authors: Taoguang
authors: T
authors: Huo
authors: Bei
authors: B
authors: Chang
authors: Yinghua
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: Zaixing
authors: Z
authors: Chen
authors: Weikai
authors: W
authors: Li
authors: Hong
authors: H
authors: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013440:Sulfides / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D001152:Arsenicals; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D013440:Sulfides; C058317:arsenic disulfide