BACKGROUND Tramadol-induced seizures might be pathologically associated with serotonin syndrome. Here, the authors investigated the relationship between serotonin and the seizure-inducing potential of tramadol. METHODS Two groups of rats received pretreatment to modulate brain levels of serotonin and one group was treated as a sham control (n = 6 per group). Serotonin modulation groups receiv...

We investigate the influence of brain serotonin depletion on the sodium appetite. Rats depleted of serotonin through the systemic administration of p-chlorophenylalanine (300 mg/kg, ip, for 2 days) showed an intense natriorexigenic response induced by sodium depletion (furosemide, 20 mg/kg, sc, 24 h before water and 1.8% NaCl presentation). Intake of 1.8% NaCl was always higher than that observ...

The role of the brain monoamines in the development of hippocampal kindling was studied. Reserpine markedly facilitated the formation of hippocampal kindling. The high amplitude spike waves in the amygdala and reticular formation appeared earlier in the reserpine treated rats than in the saline injected rats. alpha-Methyl-p-tyrosine did not have any effect on the formation of hippocampal kindli...

Phenylalanine hydroxylase was prepared from human foetal liver and purified 800-fold; it appeared to be essentially pure. The phenylalanine hydroxylase activity of the liver was confined to a single protein of mol.wt. approx. 108000, but omission of a preliminary filtration step resulted in partial conversion into a second enzymically active protein of mol.wt. approx. 250000. Human adult and fu...

Here, we investigate the effects of electroacupunture on the depressive-like symptoms in learned helplessness and forced swim tests in rats. Electroacupuncture stimulation (EA) was provided at ST-36 (Zusanli) and SP-6 (Sanyinjiao) acupoints. A positive control group was treated with imipramine. To verify the effects of EA over serotonergic system, other additional groups received daily, for thr...