dextrorphan and tenocyclidine

Phencyclidine (PCP) (0.01-50 mumol.L-1) and its analogue, TCP (0.01-50 mumol.L-1) exhibited positive inotropic effects on electrically stimulated rabbit papillary muscle preparations. Dextrorphan (5 or 10 mumol.L-1) antagonized the actions of PCP in non-competitive manner (pD'2 = 5.25). This demonstrated the involvement of PCP receptors in the positive inotropic effects of PCP. By using high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detector (HPLC-ECD), an increase of DOPAC content was found in bath medium after PCP addition. Each of the dopamine receptor antagonists SCH23390, haloperidol and sulpiride (1 mumol.L-1) attenuated the maximal inotropic effects of PCP. These results suggest that PCP induces positive inotropic effects by increasing the release and/or blocking the uptake of dopamine.

Topics: 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; Animals; Benzazepines; Dextrorphan; Female; Haloperidol; Male; Myocardial Contraction; Papillary Muscles; Phencyclidine; Rabbits; Stimulation, Chemical; Sulpiride

Excessive activation of glutamate receptors, most notably the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) subtype, appears to be a crucial factor in the sequence of cellular events which lead to irreversible ischaemic damage to neurones. The ability of newly developed antagonists of the NMDA receptor to reduce ischaemic brain damage has been assessed in cat and rodent models of focal cerebral ischemia. Non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonists such as dizocilpine (CAS 77086-21-6) which act at a site within the receptor operated ion channel markedly reduce (by more than 50%) ischaemic brain damage when administered prior to the ischaemic episode or 2 h after the onset of ischaemia. Competitive NMDA receptor antagonists, such as D-(E)-4-(3-phosphonoprop-2-enyl)piperazine-2-carboxylic acid, which act at the neurotransmitter recognition site are equally effective in reducing the ischaemic brain damage when administered prior to the onset of the ischaemic episode. The clinical utility of competitive and non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonists in man will, however, be determined not by their tremendous anti-ischaemic efficacy, but by their profile of adverse effects. Careful selection of the therapeutic target for NMDA antagonists will be necessary if beneficial effects are to be established in man.

Topics: Animals; Cats; Cerebral Arteries; Dextrorphan; Dizocilpine Maleate; Hematoma, Subdural; Ischemic Attack, Transient; Kynurenic Acid; Phencyclidine; Piperazines; Rats; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate

The effects of 1) the phencyclidine receptor ligand TCP, 2) sigma receptor ligands (+)3-PPP and DTG, and 3) N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor blockers MK-801 and dextrorphan were determined on a brainstem mechanism which controls the termination of the inspiratory phase of the breathing cycle. Inspiratory bursts were recorded from the phrenic nerve in decerebrate paralyzed cats ventilated by means of a phrenic driven servoventilator. The central mechanism which terminates inspiration was tested by withholding lung inflation, thus suppressing the contribution of the vagal feedback from the lungs to inspiratory termination. TCP increased the duration of test inspiration (tTi) by 17% at 0.03 mg/kg and by 14-fold (from 1.6 to 23 s) at 1 mg/kg. With dextrorphan, tTi was significantly increased at 3 mg/kg. In contrast, (+)3-PPP and DTG did not increase tTi at doses up to 10 mg/kg, although MK-801 (0.03 mg/kg), given after the sigma ligands, increased tTi by 59-90%. It is concluded that phencyclidine but not sigma receptor ligands block the central mechanism which terminates inspiration and that the likely site of action is the NMDA receptor complex.

Topics: Animals; Brain Stem; Cats; Decerebrate State; Dextrorphan; Dibenzocycloheptenes; Dizocilpine Maleate; Guanidines; Phencyclidine; Phrenic Nerve; Piperidines; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; Receptors, Neurotransmitter; Receptors, Opioid; Receptors, Phencyclidine; Receptors, sigma; Respiration