Abstract
Treatment of rats with serotonin (5-HT) precursors tryptophan (TRP, 400 mg/kg) and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP, 50 mg/kg) was shown to attenuate MDMA (20 mg/kg) induced serotonergic neurotoxicity as measured by [3H]- paroxetine binding in the striatum, hippocampus, and frontal cortex of the rat brain. Hippocampal 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels were also indicative of the protective effects of TRP and 5-HTP. These results suggest that depletion of 5-HT stores is important for MDMA-induced neurotoxicity. The possible significance of this 5-HT depletion in MDMA-induced serontonergic terminal degeneration is also discussed.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1193-1198 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Life Sciences |
Volume | 55 |
Issue number | 15 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1994 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- General Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics
- General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology