ergoline and bromerguride

Although the discriminative stimulus effects of the clinically useful ergot derivative lisuride have previously been related to dopamine (DA) neuronal systems, the involvement of DA D1 and D2 receptor subtypes in the lisuride cue has been characterized for the first time in the present experiment. In rats trained to discriminate lisuride (0.04 mg/kg) from saline, appropriate doses of the putative D2 agonist LY 171555 (0.008-0.063 mg/kg) substituted completely whereas the D1 agonist SKF 38393 (2.0-16.0 mg/kg) evoked primarily saline-lever responding. When given in combination with lisuride (0.04 mg/kg), the D2 antagonist (-)-sulpiride (5-30 mg/kg), but not the D1 antagonist SCH 23390 (0.125-0.5 mg/kg), blocked the lisuride cue. Combination tests also suggested that bromuride and pirenperone have DA antagonist properties. Although the specificity of these agents is not fully known, these results support the conclusion that D2 but not D1 receptors play an important role in the stimulus effects of lisuride. Although a role for serotonin in the similar stimulus properties of lisuride and SCH 23390 cannot be ruled out, partial substitution of SCH 23390 (0.0625-0.35 mg/kg; administered alone) for lisuride complements previous observations which suggest that the two DA subtypes may be functionally linked in vivo.

Topics: Animals; Benzazepines; Discrimination Learning; Ergolines; Lisuride; Male; Neurons; Piperidines; Quinpirole; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Receptors, Dopamine; Sulpiride

Bromolisuride, an ergoline derivative, was labeled with the positron emitter radionuclide, bromine 76. In vitro and in vivo binding and competition studies in rats demonstrated a high affinity (KD = 0.3 nM) and a high specificity of this new radioligand for D-2 dopamine receptors. PET kinetic studies in baboons showed an accumulation of [76Br]bromolisuride in the striatum which reached a maximum 30 min post-injection and which could be displaced by haloperidol. All these results indicated that this new ligand is certainly suitable for the non-invasive in vivo quantitative imaging of D-2 dopamine receptor sites in human brain.

Topics: Animals; Brain; Bromine; Corpus Striatum; Ergolines; Lisuride; Male; Papio; Radioisotopes; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Receptors, Dopamine; Receptors, Dopamine D2; Tomography, Emission-Computed

The plasma levels and urinary excretion of the dopamine antagonist, bromerguride, were measured by radioimmunoassay in healthy male volunteers given 50 micrograms i.v. and oral doses of 1 and 2 mg. Plasma prolactin was also measured by radioimmunoassay. Following i.v. injection, the concentration of bromerguride declined biphasically, with half-lives of 7 min and 1.2 h. The total clearance was 32 ml X min-1 X kg-1 and the apparent volume of distribution was 3.61/kg. The bioavailability of oral bromerguride was 29% after 1 mg and 25% after 2 mg. The drug was almost totally metabolized and less than 0.05% of the dose was excreted in urine in 24 h after oral administration. Plasma prolactin levels were increased in a dose-dependent manner for about 8 h. Side-effects were minimal, mainly being tiredness and headache in some of the volunteers.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Adult; Biological Availability; Dopamine Antagonists; Ergolines; Half-Life; Humans; Injections, Intravenous; Kinetics; Lisuride; Male; Prolactin

2-Bromolisuride (2-Br-LIS), a derivative of the ergot dopamine (DA) agonist lisuride, was investigated in rodents in comparison with the DA antagonist haloperidol with regard to its influence on DA related behaviour, cerebral DA metabolism and prolactin (PRL) secretion. 2-Br-LIS produced catalepsy in mice (ED50 3.3 mg/kg i.p.), antagonized apomorphine-induced stereotypies in mice (ED50 0.4 mg/kg i.p.), antagonized DA agonist-induced stereotypies in rats (0.1-1.56 mg/kg i.p.), inhibited locomotor activity in rats (0.025-6.25 mg/kg i.p.), antagonized the hyperactivity produced by various DA agonists in rats (0.025-6.25 mg/kg i.p.) and inhibited the apomorphine-induced hypothermia in mice (0.05-0.78 mg/kg i.p.). 2-Br-LIS (0.03-10 mg/kg i.p.) stimulated DA biosynthesis and DOPAC formation in the striatum and DA rich limbic system of rats, but had no effect on serotonin turnover. In striatum and limbic forebrain of gamma-butyrolactone-pretreated rats 2-Br-LIS reversed the apomorphine-induced inhibition of DOPA accumulation. 2-Br-LIS (0.03 - 3 mg/kg) enhanced PRL secretion in intact male rats. These findings indicate DA antagonistic properties of 2-Br-LIS presumably due to blockade of central pre- and postsynaptic DA receptors being of approximately the same order of potency as haloperidol. 2-Br-LIS is the first ergot compound with definite antidopaminergic properties suggesting its potential usefulness as a neuroleptic.

Topics: 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; 5-Hydroxytryptophan; Animals; Body Temperature; Brain; Catalepsy; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry; Dopamine; Ergolines; Haloperidol; Humans; Lisuride; Male; Mice; Motor Activity; Prolactin; Rats; Rats, Inbred Strains; Receptors, Dopamine; Stereotyped Behavior