Protective effect of uridine on D-galactosamine-induced deficiency in brain uridine phosphates

In the rat, 2 h after intraventricular application of 10 mumoles D-galactosamine as well as 10 and 20 mumoles uridine, opposite effects on brain content of UDP-glucose and uracil nucleotides were observed. While D-galactosamine caused a strong decrease in content of uridine phosphates, the brain content of the latter substances was markedly increased after uridine application. Furthermore, 20 mumoles uridine applied 10 min prior to D-galactosamine administration prevented the D-galactosamine-induced drop in brain uridine phosphates. The results are discussed in the light of behavioural findings in which D-galactosamine-induced impairment of retention performance of an acquired behaviour could be abolished by uridine pretreatment.