Ipsapirone, a new anxiolytic drug, stimulates catecholamine turnover in various regions of the rat brain

Ipsapirone, a new anxiolytic drug with a high affinity to 5-HT1A receptors, given in a dose of 10 mg/kg ip markedly accelerated noradrenaline disappearance after inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase with alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (250 mg/kg ip) in the cortex, hippocampus and hypothalamus of male Wistar rats. It also increased disappearance of dopamine and the level of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid in the striatum. At the same time, the level of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid was decreased in the cortex, striatum, hypothalamus, but not changed in the hippocampus. 8-OH-DPAT, a selective agonist of 5-HT1A receptors, used in a dose of 5 mg/kg sc was less effective, having accelerated noradrenaline disappearance in the cortex and hypothalamus, and having increased only the level of homovanillic acid in the striatum. The effect of ipsapirone on catecholamine turnover might be secondary in relation to inhibition of the serotonin neurons. A direct interaction between ipsapirone and its metabolite 1-PP with alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors is very likely, too.