Acetyl-L-carnitine enhances acetylcholine release in the striatum and hippocampus of awake freely moving rats |
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| Authors: | A Imperato M T Ramacci L Angelucci |
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| Institution: | Institute of Medical Pharmacology, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy. |
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| Abstract: | The effect of acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) on the spontaneous release of acetylcholine (ACh) in the striatum and hippocampus of freely moving rats was investigated using brain microdialysis coupled with HPLC-electrochemical detection. Systemic administration of ALC, in a dose-dependent manner, stimulated ACh release in both areas, while the D-enantiomer was substantially ineffective. The effect of ALC was strongly Ca2+ dependent and tetrodotoxin (TTX) sensitive. These features of an exocytotic and impulse flow-dependent mechanism suggest that the increase in ACh release is the result of ALC activation of a physiological mechanism in cholinergic neurons. |
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