Effects of acute administration of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine upon the latency and duration of post-decapitation convulsions.
Acta pharmacologica et toxicologica – September 01, 1984
Source: PubMed
Summary
Acute administration of the 5-HT agonist 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine significantly prolonged the latency and duration of convulsions in rats following decapitation, starting from a dose as low as 0.5 mg/kg. When methergoline (2.0 mg/kg) was injected beforehand, it notably blocked these effects. Additionally, long-term treatments with p-chloroamphetamine and p-chlorophenylalanine did not counteract the changes induced by the agonist but did extend convulsion duration on their own. This method shows potential for exploring 5-HT receptor mechanisms further.
Abstract
The effect of acute administration of rats with the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) agonist drug 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine on the convulsions released by decapitation was examined. The postsynaptic agonist, 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine, prolonged the latency and duration from the 0.5 mg/kg dose upwards. Methergoline, 2.0 mg/kg intraperitoneally injected immediately prior to 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine, caused some considerable blockade of the effects of the 5-HT agonist on post-decapitation convulsions (PDG's). Long-term p-chloroamphetamine (2x10 mg/kg) and p-chlorophenylalanine (1 x 300 mg/kg) did not antagonise the 5-methoxy-N-N-dimethyltryptamine induced changes of PDC's but, by themselves, prolonged PDC duration. The utility of the 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine-PDC method for studying 5-HT receptor mechanisms may be worth considering.