Disposition of radiolabeled ifetroban in rats, dogs, monkeys, and humans.

Ifetroban is a potent and selective thromboxane receptor antagonist. This study was conducted to characterize the pharmacokinetics, absolute bioavailability, and disposition of ifetroban after i.v. and oral administrations of [14C]ifetroban or [3H]ifetroban in rats (3 mg/kg), dogs (1 mg/kg), monkeys (1 mg/kg), and humans (50 mg). The drug was rapidly absorbed after oral administration, with peak plasma concentrations occurring between 5 and 20 min across species. Plasma terminal elimination half-life was approximately 8 h in rats, approximately 20 h in dogs, approximately 27 h in monkeys, and approximately 22 h in humans. Based on the steady-state volume of distribution, the drug was extensively distributed in tissues. Absolute bioavailability was 25, 35, 23, and 48% in rats, dogs, monkeys, and humans, respectively. Renal excretion was a minor route of elimination in all species, with the majority of the dose being excreted into the feces. After a single oral dose, urinary excretion accounted for 3% of the administered dose in rats and dogs, 14% in monkeys, and 27% in humans, with the remainder excreted in the feces. Extensive biliary excretion was observed in rats with the hydroxylated metabolite at the C-14 position being the major metabolite observed in rat bile. Ifetroban was extensively metabolized after oral administration. Approximately 40 to 50% of the radioactivity in rat and dog plasma was accounted for by parent drug whereas, in humans, approximately 60% of the plasma radioactivity was accounted for by ifetroban acylglucuronide.     

Disposition and metabolism of pravastatin sodium in rats, dogs and monkeys.

Pravastatin sodium (pravastatin) is a potent inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, and was found to be highly effective in animals and humans, in lowering the plasma cholesterol level by inhibiting cholesterol synthesis selectively in the liver. In the present study the disposition and metabolism of pravastatin was studied in rats, dogs and monkeys using [14C]-labelled compound. The extent of absorption was approximately 70% in rats and 50% in dogs. Tissue distribution examined by both whole-body autoradiography and radioactivity measurement demonstrated that the drug was selectively taken up by the liver, a target organ of the drug, and excreted via bile mainly in unchanged form. Since pravastatin excreted by the bile was reabsorbed, the enterohepatic circulation maintained the presence of unchanged pravastatin in the target organ. The profiles of metabolites were studied in various tissues and excreta and a metabolic pathway of pravastatin was proposed.     

Disposition of sucrose octa-isobutyrate in rats, dogs and monkeys

The disposition of 200 mg/kg of ¹⁴C-labelled sucrose octa-isobutyrate (¹⁴C-SOIB), a component of sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB), a beverage emulsion stabilizer, was studied in rats, dogs and monkeys. After oral administration of ¹⁴C-SOIB to three rats, 3–15% of the dose was excreted as volatile products, 1–2% appeared in urine and 78–93% was recovered in faeces. In dogs, recoveries of radiolabel in CO₂, urine and faeces were approximately 1%, less than 2% and 77–94%, respectively. Monkeys excreted the majority of the dose in faeces; less than 2% of the administered radioactivity was eliminated in either CO₂ or urine. The biliary excretion of radiolabel from ¹⁴C-SOIB was negligible in rats and monkeys; however, in dogs, 3–10% of the dose was excreted into bile. It was demonstrated by chromatographic analyses of faeces that ¹⁴C-SOIB was more extensively hydrolysed in the gastro-intestinal tract of rats and dogs than in monkeys. The results indicate that after oral administration, rats and dogs absorb SOIB following hydrolysis of the sugar ester in the gut. The proportion of the dose that is absorbed by the rat is oxidized to CO₂. In the dog, little of the absorbed product is oxidized; rather, it is circulated through an enterohepatic pathway. In contrast, in the monkey, SOIB is not detectably hydrolysed in the gut or absorbed. These findings show that there is a species difference in the disposition of SOIB; the most salient findings relate to a difference in the disposition of SOIB in the dog compared with the rat.     

Disposition and metabolism of almotriptan in rats, dogs and monkeys

Almotriptan is a new highly potent selective 5-HT1B/1D receptor agonist developed for the treatment of migraine, and the disposition of almotriptan in different animal species is now addressed in the current study. Almotriptan was well absorbed in rats (69.1%) and dogs (100%) following oral treatment. The absolute bioavailability was variable reflecting different degrees of absorption and first-pass metabolism (18.7-79.6%). The elimination half-life was short and ranged between 0.7 and 3 h. The main route of elimination of almotriptan was urine with 75.6% and 80.4% of the dose recovered over a 168-h period in rats and dogs, respectively. The gamma-aminobutyric acid metabolite formed by oxidation of the pyrrolidine ring was the main metabolite found in urine, faeces, bile, and plasma of rats and in monkey urine. By contrast, the unchanged drug, the indole acetic acid metabolite formed by oxidative deamination of the dimethylaminoethyl group, and the N-oxide metabolite were the main metabolites in dog.     

Disposition and metabolism of almotriptan in rats,dogs and monkeys

Almotriptan is a new highly potent selective 5-HT_1B/1D receptor agonist developed for the treatment of migraine, and the disposition of almotriptan in different animal species is now addressed in the current study. Almotriptan was well absorbed in rats (69.1%) and dogs (100%) following oral treatment. The absolute bioavailability was variable reflecting different degrees of absorption and first-pass metabolism (18.7–79.6%). The elimination half-life was short and ranged between 0.7 and 3?h. The main route of elimination of almotriptan was urine with 75.6% and 80.4% of the dose recovered over a 168-h period in rats and dogs, respectively. The γ-aminobutyric acid metabolite formed by oxidation of the pyrrolidine ring was the main metabolite found in urine, faeces, bile, and plasma of rats and in monkey urine. By contrast, the unchanged drug, the indole acetic acid metabolite formed by oxidative deamination of the dimethylaminoethyl group, and the N-oxide metabolite were the main metabolites in dog.     

Pharmacokinetics of a novel butylated hydroxytoluene-thiazolidinone CNS antiischemic agent LY256548 in rats, mice, dogs, and monkeys

Mice, rats, dogs, and monkeys were given a single 50 mg/kg oral dose of [14C]LY256548. Plasma levels of radioactivity and LY256548 were determined, as was the excretion of radioactivity. Peak plasma levels of LY256548 occurred prior to those of radioactivity in mice, dogs, and monkeys, but were coincident in rats. The Cmax of LY256548 in rats, mice, dogs, and monkeys was 0.17, 0.30, 0.04, and 0.02 microgram/ml, respectively. However, the Cmax of radioactivity was 10-fold greater than that of LY256548 in rats and mice, 24-fold greater in dogs, and 40-fold greater in monkeys. The half-lives of LY256548 were substantially less than those of radioactivity in all four species. The oral absorption of LY256548 in rats, dogs, and monkeys was 45%, 7%, and 12%, respectively. The systemic bioavailability of LY256548 in rats, dogs, and monkeys was 6%, 0.4%, and 3%, respectively. Extensive biotransformation of LY256548 was observed in all four species. Fecal excretion of radioactivity was the primary mode of elimination, being 95% in rats, 81% in mice, 100% in dogs, and 68% in monkeys.     

Disposition and biotransformation of quinpirole, a new D-2 dopamine agonist antihypertensive agent, in mice, rats, dogs, and monkeys

The disposition and metabolism of quinpirole were studied in rats, mice, dogs, and monkeys. A single 2 mg/kg dose of 14C-quinpirole was administered orally to rats, mice, and monkeys. Dogs were given a single 0.2 mg/kg iv dose of 14C-quinpirole. Of the dose administered, 75-96% was recovered in the urine within 72 hr, with the majority being excreted during the first 24 hr. Peak plasma concentrations of radioactivity and quinpirole were coincident and were observed within 0.25 hr in rodents and at 2 hr in monkeys. Unchanged quinpirole accounted for 0.9%, 36%, and 69% respectively. Biotransformation of quinpirole was compared by quantitating the urinary metabolites by HPLC. The percentage of the radioactivity in urine representing unchanged drug was determined for each species: monkey (3%), dog (13%), mouse (40%), and rat (57%). The majority of 14C-quinpirole was shown to be biotransformed in rats, mice, and monkeys through common metabolic pathways but to various extents. Most metabolites resulted from structural alterations (N-dealkylation, lactam formation, omega and omega-1 hydroxylation) that centered around the piperidine ring portion of the molecule. These metabolites were less important in dogs. The major metabolic pathway in dogs involved hydroxylation of a methylene carbon adjacent to the pyrazole nucleus of quinpirole followed by O-glucuronidation. Evidence of metabolism of the pyrazole moiety was found in the isolation of an N-glucuronide conjugate of quinpirole from monkey urine.     

Disposition and metabolism of [14C]lemborexant,a novel dual orexin receptor antagonist,in rats and monkeys

1. The disposition and metabolism of lemborexant, a novel dual orexin receptor antagonist currently under development as a therapeutic agent for insomnia disorder, were evaluated after a single oral administration of [¹⁴C]lemborexant in Sprague-Dawley rats (10?mg/kg) and cynomolgus monkeys (3?mg/kg).

2. In both species, [¹⁴C]lemborexant was rapidly absorbed: radioactivity concentration in blood peaked at 0.83–1.8?h, and decreased with elimination half-life of 110?h. The radioactivity administered was excreted primarily into faeces, with relatively little excreted into urine.

3. Lemborexant was not detected in bile, urine or faeces, indicating that lemborexant administered orally was completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and that the main elimination pathway was metabolism in both species.

4. In rats, lemborexant was found to be minor in plasma (≤5.2% of total radioactivity), and M9 (hydroxylated form) was the major circulating metabolite. In monkeys, the major circulating components were lemborexant, M4 (N-oxide metabolite), M13 (di-oxidised form), M14 (di-oxidised form) and M16 (glucuronide of mono-oxidised form).

5. In both species, lemborexant was metabolised to various metabolites by multiple pathways, the primary of which was oxidation of the dimethylpyrimidine or fluorophenyl moiety.

     

Disposition and metabolism of a new benzothiophene antiestrogen in rats, dogs and monkeys

A new benzothiophene-derived antiestrogen (LY156758) when orally administered was well absorbed in rats and monkeys while approx. 20% was absorbed in dogs. In the rat the compound was subject to first-pass hepatic metabolism which led to low levels of parent drug in the systematic circulation together with a small amount as the glucuronide conjugate. In monkeys the compound occurred primarily as the glucuronide conjugate of parent drug with very little circulating free drug. The systemic bioavailability of free parent drug in plasma was 39% in rats, 17% in dogs and 5% in monkeys. Excretion of the drug in rats and dogs was primarily via the bile. Approx. 1% of the dose was excreted in the urine of rats and dogs after oral dosing. In rats, at least 50% of an oral dose was excreted in bile as the glucuronide conjugate of parent drug.     

In vitro and in vivo metabolism of a novel cannabinoid-1 receptor inverse agonist,taranabant, in rats and monkeys

1. The metabolism and excretion of taranabant (MK-0364, N-[(1S,2S)-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-(3-cyanophenyl)-1-methylpropyl]-2-methyl-2{[5-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine-2-yl]oxy}propanamide), a potent cannabinoid-1 receptor inverse agonist, were evaluated in rats and rhesus monkeys. Following administration of [¹⁴C]taranabant, the majority of the radioactivity was excreted within 72?h. In both rats and rhesus monkeys, taranabant was eliminated primarily via oxidative metabolism, followed by excretion of metabolites into bile.

2. Major pathways of metabolism that were common to rats and rhesus monkeys included hydroxylation at the benzylic carbon adjacent to the cyanophenyl ring to form a biologically active circulating metabolite M1, and oxidation of one of the two geminal methyl groups of taranabant or M1 to the corresponding diastereomeric carboxylic acids. Oxidation of the cyanophenyl ring, followed by conjugation with glutathione or glucuronic acid, was a major pathway of metabolism only in the rat and was not detected in the rhesus monkey.

3. Metabolism profiles of taranabant in liver microsomes in vitro were qualitatively similar in rats, rhesus monkeys and humans and included formation of M1 and oxidation of taranabant or M1 to the corresponding carboxylic acids via oxidation of a geminal methyl group. In human liver microsomes, metabolism of taranabant was mediated primarily by CYP3A4.

     

Disposition and metabolism of a new benzothiophene antiestrogen in rats,dogs and monkeys

1. A new benzothiophene-derived antiestrogen (LY156758) when orally administered was well absorbed in rats and monkeys while approx. 20% was absorbed in dogs.

2. In the rat the compound was subject to first-pass hepatic metabolism which led to low levels of parent drug in the systematic circulation together with a small amount as the glucuronide conjugate.

3. In monkeys the compound occurred primarily as the glucuronide conjugate of parent drug with very little circulating free drug.

4. The systemic bioavailability of free parent drug in plasma was 39% in rats, 17% in dogs and 5% in monkeys.

5. Excretion of the drug in rats and dogs was primarily via the bile. Approx. 1% of the dose was excreted in the urine of rats and dogs after oral dosing. In rats, at least 50% of an oral dose was excreted in bile as the glucuronide conjugate of parent drug.     

Pharmacokinetics of the selective prostacyclin receptor agonist selexipag in rats,dogs and monkeys

1.?This study examined the pharmacokinetics, distribution, metabolism and excretion of the selective prostacyclin receptor agonist selexipag (NS-304; ACT-293987) and its active metabolite MRE-269 (ACT-33679). The compounds were investigated following oral and/or intravenous administration to intact rats, dogs and monkeys, and bile-duct-cannulated rats and dogs.

2.?After oral administration of [¹⁴C]selexipag, selexipag was well absorbed in rats and dogs with total recoveries of over 90% of the dose, mainly in the faeces. Biliary excretion was the major elimination pathway for [¹⁴C]MRE-269 as well as [¹⁴C]selexipag, while renal elimination was of little importance. [¹⁴C]Selexipag-related radioactivity was secreted into the milk in lactating rats.

3.?Plasma was analysed for total radioactivity, selexipag and MRE-269 in rats and monkeys. Selexipag was negligible in rat plasma due to extensive metabolism, and MRE-269 was present in rat and monkey plasma. A species difference was clearly evident when selexipag was incubated in rat, dog and monkey plasma.

4.?Total radioactivity was rapidly distributed to tissues. The highest concentrations were found in the bile duct and liver without significant accumulation or persistence, while there was limited melanin-associated binding, penetration of the blood–brain barrier and placental transfer of drug-related materials.     

Effects of LY163502, a D2 dopaminergic agonist, on the sexual behavior of male rats.

LY163502, a selective D2 receptor agonist, has been reported to stimulate sexual behavior in both copulating and noncopulating male rats. Three experiments were conducted to further characterize the role of dopamine on male sexual behavior. In the first experiment, quinelorane (LY163502) was directly infused into the medial preoptic area (MPOA) of castrated males either alone or in combination with subphysiological levels of testosterone (T) exposure. The results showed that male sexual behavior was not affected by infusion of LY163502 alone, subphysiological T levels alone, or the combination of LY163502 and subphysiological T levels. For the second experiment, all animals received physiological levels of T and MPOA infusions of LY163502 or saline. The results showed an earlier restoration of male sexual behavior in the LY163502 group when compared to the T-only group. In the third study, noncopulating, gonadally intact males received SC injections of either LY163502 or saline 30 min prior to copulatory testing. The results showed that LY163502 induced a significant decrease in mount and intromission latencies after 14 days of drug exposure. From these results, we conclude a) that D2 receptors play a role in the facilitation of male sexual behavior and b) that the action of dopamine at D2 receptors requires the presence of T.     

The group II metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist,LY379268, decreases methamphetamine self-administration in rats

Background

Given the problems associated with the escalation in methamphetamine (METH) use, the identification of more effective treatment strategies is essential. Group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) have been suggested to be a novel therapeutic target for psychostimulant addiction. We sought to test the ability of the selective group II mGluR agonist LY379268 to reduce METH self-administration in rats.

Methods

Rats were trained to self-administer METH on a progressive ratio (PR) schedule. Animals were then switched to fixed ratio responding and given daily extended access (6 h/day) to METH self-administration for 14 days. Rats were then re-tested on the PR schedule. The effect of LY379268 on METH-reinforced PR responding was determined before and after 14 days of extended access. To test for non-specific effects, a separate group of animals received LY379268 prior to a sucrose pellet-reinforced PR schedule.

Results

Animals escalated their daily intake of METH during extended access. PR responding did not change as a function of extended access. LY379268 significantly attenuated METH reinforced responding, both before and after extended access. The degree of attenuation did not change as a function of extended access. LY379268 had no effect on sucrose pellet-reinforced responding at any dose.

Conclusions

LY379268 selectively reduced the motivation to self-administer METH. In contrast to data with other compounds, the sensitivity to the effects of LY379268 did not change following extended access to METH self-administration. Group II mGluR agonists, therefore, may represent a relatively new class of compounds for the development of pharmacotherapies for METH addiction.     

Disposition and metabolism of the novel antihypertensive agent alacepril in rats

Disposition and metabolism of 1-[(S)-3-acetylthio-2-methylpropanoyl]-L-prolyl-L-phenylalanine (alacepril, DU-1219) in rats were studied and compared to those of 1-[(S)-3-mercapto-2-methylpropanoyl]-L-proline (captopril), using 14C-labeled compounds. Some tissue homogenates and plasma of rats were incubated in vitro with [14C]alacepril or [14C]captopril at the concentration of 50 nmol/ml. For in vivo studies, radioactive agents were orally or intravenously administered to rats in doses of 46 mumol/kg (18.7 and 10 mg/kg for alacepril and captopril, respectively) or 460 mumol/kg. In vitro studies revealed that [14C]alacepril is converted to captopril via desacetyl-alacepril (DU-1227) in the liver, kidney and intestine homogenates, but not in the lung homogenate and plasma where deacetylation alone occurred. DU-1227 and captopril formed were found to be partly bound with endogenous -SH compounds i.e. cysteine, glutathione and probably, protein. 1 h after oral administration of [14C]alacepril, plasma levels of total radioactivity reached a maximum of 8 nmol/ml and disappeared with t1/2 of 2.6 h. [14C]Captopril radioactivity was maximum (13 nmol/ml) at 40 min with the disappearance t1/2 of 1.9 h. Similarly to total radioactivity, levels of radioactivity unbound and bound to plasma protein after [14C]alacepril were lower at maximum and disappeared more slowly than those after [14C]captopril. After oral administration of [14C]alacepril, DU-1227, captopril and mixed disulfides of captopril with cysteine and glutathione were detected in the plasma unbound fraction. The three metabolites except for DU-1227 were commonly detected after [14C]captopril.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effects of the group II metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist, LY354740 on schedule-controlled behaviour in rats

The present study examined the effect of the novel, systemically active Group II metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptor agonist, LY354740, on schedule-controlled behaviour in rats. Responding for food reward was maintained by three different operant procedures; the first, a three-component conflict schedule; the second, a multiple fixed-interval 60 s/fixed-ratio 10 (FI60/FR10) schedule and the third, a differential reinforcement of low rates of responding 10 s (DRL10) schedule. In the first procedure, rats were trained to respond for food on a schedule comprising of variable-interval 30 s (food, VI30) and fixed-ratio 10 (food + shock, FR10) components separated by time-out (TO). LY354740 (1.25-5 mg/kg, i.p.) produced a dose-related reduction in responding during the VI component and increased responding during the TO component, while having no effect on responding during the punished FR10 phase. In the FI60/FR10 schedule, LY354740 produced a dose-related reduction in the high rates of responding observed during the FR10 component of the schedule. Although LY354740 (0.6-10 mg/kg, i.p.) had no effect on the overall response rates produced by the FI60 component, there was a shift in the temporal distribution of responding as measured by the quarter-life. LY354740 (10 mg/kg, i.p.) increased the low rates towards the start of the interval, while decreasing the rates of responding towards the end of the FI60 period. In the DRL10 s schedule, LY354740 (5-20 mg/kg, i.p.) had no effect on the total number of responses but produced a significant reduction in the total number of rewards, suggesting that the temporal control of responding had been disrupted. The changes in operant responding occurred at doses that decreased exploratory behaviour. In summary, LY354740 modified responding maintained by all three operant schedules at doses which suppressed spontaneous activity. These data demonstrate that stimulation of Group II mGlu receptors can produce changes in responding which are dependent on the base-line rate of responding, suggesting that mGlu 2/3 receptors may be involved in the stimulus and temporal control of behaviour.     

Metabolism and disposition of a potent group II metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist, in rats, dogs, and monkeys.

Metabolism and disposition of MGS0028 [(1R,2S,5S,6S)-2-amino-6-fluoro-4-oxobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2,6-dicarboxylic acid monohydrate], a potent group II metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist, were examined in three preclinical species (Sprague-Dawley rats, beagle dogs, and rhesus monkeys). In rats, MGS0028 was widely distributed and primarily excreted in urine as parent and as a single reductive metabolite, identified as the 4R-isomer MGS0034 [(1R,2S,4R,5S,6S)-2-amino-6-fluoro-4-hydroxybicyclo[3.1.0]-hexane-2,6-dicarboxylic acid]. MGS0028 had a low brain to plasma ratio at efficacious doses in rats and was eliminated more slowly in rat brain than in plasma. Exposure increased proportionally (1--10 mg/kg p.o.) in rats, with bioavailability>60% at all doses. However, bioavailability was only approximately 20% in monkeys, and MGS0034 was found in relatively high abundance in plasma. In dogs, oral bioavailability was >60%, and the metabolite was not detected. In vitro metabolism was examined in liver subcellular fractions (microsomes and cytosol) from rat, dog, monkey, and human. Reductive metabolism was observed in rat, monkey, and human liver cytosol incubations, but not in dog liver cytosol incubations. No metabolism of MGS0028 was detected in incubations with liver microsomes from any species. Similar to in vivo results, MGS0028 was reduced in cytosol stereospecifically to MGS0034. The rank order of in vitro metabolite formation (monkey > rat approximately human > dog) was in agreement with in vivo observations in rats, dogs, and monkeys. Based on the observation of species difference in reductive metabolism, rat and monkey were recommended to be the preclinical species for further characterization prior to testing in humans. Finally, allometric scaling predicts that human pharmacokinetic parameters would be acceptable for further development.     

Disposition of SK&F L-190144 in rats and monkeys after oral,intravenous or ocular administration

The objective of the study was to investigate the systemic disposition of ¹⁴C-SK&F L-190144 after single intravenous (10mg kg^?1) and oral (200 mg kg^?1) doses to rats and after single intravenous and ocular doses (0.33 mg kg^?1) to monkeys. After the intravenous dose, the blood concentration-time profile of ¹⁴C-SK&F L-190144 followed a rapid triexponential decline with half-lives of 2.5, 15, and 246 min in rats and 3, 19, and 2520 min in monkeys. The ¹⁴C-label in blood was mainly the parent compound. The terminal elimination half-life detected in rats using the urinary excretion rate-time data was 700 min. The total body clearance values were 17.6 ± 2.1 (mean ± SD, n = 6) and 1.11 ± 0.41 (n=4) mlmin^?1 kg^?1 for rats and monkeys, respectively. Both species had similar values of volume of distribution at the terminal phase, 4 to 6 l kg^?1, and similar excretion patterns, approximately 60 per cent and 30 per cent of the dose were excreted in the urine and feces, respectively. ¹⁴C-SK&F L-190144 was not absorbed orally in rats with the majority of the dose recovered in the feces. Following ocular administration to monkeys, the plasma drug concentrations peaked at 8 h post-dosing but did not reach a biexponential elimination phase until 18 h post-dosing, suggesting slow systemic absorption of drug from the ocular site. The monkeys excreted 42 per cent of the dose in urine and 50 per cent in feces after ocular administration. This increase in fecal excretion compared to the intravenous route of administration may have been due to the slow absorption by the ocular and nasal tissues altering the relative proportions of drug elimination via the renal and hepatic routes, or to a proportion of the dose passing into the gastrointestinal tract and exiting unabsorbed. Study results demonstrate similar excretion patterns and volume of distribution after intravenous administration in both species. The slow terminal elimination phase in monkeys was attributed to the low body clearance. The low oral bioavailability was possibly due to the poor partitioning behavior of the drug (logarithm of partition coefficient - 2.6). A significant fraction of the dose was absorbed in the body via the ocular route.     

Supersensitized oral responses to a serotonin agonist in neonatal 6-OHDA-treated rats.

Neonatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) treatment of rats is associated with supersensitization of the dopamine D1 agonist induction of oral activity. The present study was conducted to determine whether induced oral responses to serotonin (5-HT) agonists would be similarly altered in this rat model. At 3 days after birth, rats received desipramine HCl (20 mg/kg, IP) 1 h before 6-OHDA HBr (100 micrograms in each lateral ventricle) or saline-ascorbic acid (0.1%) vehicle. At approximately 9 mo, rats were challenged with the mixed 5-HT1C and 5-HT2 receptor agonist, m-chlorophenylpiperazine diHCl (m-CPP 2HCl; 0.30-6.0 mg/kg, IP) and were then observed for 1 min every 10 min over a 60-min period. m-CPP induced oral activity in both the vehicle and 6-OHDA groups, with the responses of the 6-OHDA group being much greater. An m-CPP dose of 3.0 mg/kg produced a maximal response of 63.6 +/- 3.2 oral movements in the 6-OHDA group. A bell-shaped response curve was obtained, with lower and higher doses of m-CPP producing less of an effect. Attenuation of the m-CPP-induced response by the 5-HT receptor antagonist, mianserin HCl (1.0 mg/kg, IP, 30 min before m-CPP), indicates that the m-CPP effect is receptor mediated. These findings demonstrate that neonatal 6-OHDA treatment produces ontogenic long-lived supersensitization of a 5-HT receptor system in rats.     

Effects of the dopamine D-2 receptor agonist, LY 171555, on radial arm maze performance in rats

Rats trained to run through an 8-arm radial maze for food reinforcement were injected with a broad range of doses of the dopamine D-2 receptor agonist, LY 171555. Deficits were detected by the choice measures of entries to repeat and arms entered in the first eight choices. There was a dose-related increase in latency to finish the maze even though there was no significant increase in the number of choices needed to finish the maze.