Influence of supidimide on brain neurotransmitter systems of rats and mice

The influence of 2-(2-oxo-3-piperidyl)-1,2-benzisothiazoline-3-one-1, 1-dioxide (supidimide), a representative of a new class of sedative drugs, on the noradrenergic, dopaminergic, serotoninergic and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neuronal systems of rodent brains was investigated. In each case the brain transmitter levels after administration of supidimide were determined. Utilisation of noradrenaline (norepinephrine, NE), dopamine (DA), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) was also investigated ex vivo. The study was complemented with in vitro investigations of biosynthesis, synaptosomal uptake, degradation, and receptor binding of the transmitters. Based on a preliminary study of the distribution of [35S]-supidimide in rat brain, in vitro effects observed at greater than 10(-4) mol/l were considered irrelevant. Similarly, in vivo effects requiring dosages higher than 300 mg/kg i.p. were not regarded adequate to explain the sedative and antiaggressive efficacy of supidimide. With the above restrictions, the following parameters can be rated as not influenced by supidimide: levels of tryptophan in rat brain and serum (free and total); 5-HT biosynthesis in vivo (rat brain; 5-HT accumulation after monoamine oxidase (MAO) blockade); activity of MAO-A and MAO-B (rat brain mitochondria); uptake of 5-HT, NE and DA (rat synaptosomes); 5-HT receptor binding ( [3H]-LSD binding assay in rat cortical membranes); tyrosine hydroxylase activity (rat adrenal glands); catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) (rat liver); NE binding to central alpha 1- and alpha 2-receptors (rat brain; radioligand assay with [3H]-dihydroergocryptine, [3H]-prazosin and [3H]-WB 4101 (2',6'-dimethoxy-(G-3H]-phenoxy]-ethylaminomethylbenzo-1,4-dioxane ); DA levels (whole rat brain and striata); dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) levels (whole rat brain without cerebellum and striata); elevated DOPAC levels after pretreatment with haloperidol; DA-dependent adenylate cyclase in vitro (rat striatum); D2 receptor binding ( [3H]-spiperone binding assay, rat striatum); GABA levels (mouse brain); GABA transaminase activity (mouse brain stem); sodium-independent [3H]-GABA receptor binding (rat brain) and benzodiazepine binding (rat cortical membranes, [3H]-diazepam binding assay). Two effects on the GABAergic system were induced by supidimide. Starting at 300 mg/kg i.p., supidimide slowed down the GABA accumulation in brains of aminooxyacetate-treated mice. At 10(-4) mol/l supidimide caused a significant inhibition of GABA uptake (rat synaptosomes).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)