[The effect of vinpocetine on brain glucose uptake in mice]

The effects of vinpocetine and ifenprodil on the brain glucose uptake were studied in mice using a glucose analog, 2-deoxyglucose-14C, as a tracer of glucose. The brain glucose uptake was 1.42 +/- 0.06 mg/g/10 min (n = 8, Mean +/- SEM) in fasted control mice (5 ml/kg of 2% ascorbic acid). Thirty min after 5 and 20 mg/kg (p.o.) of vinpocetine, the uptake was increased to 106 +/- 6% (n = 9, P greater than 0.05) and 115 +/- 5% (n = 9, P less than 0.05) of the control value, respectively. The uptake was not increased by oral administration of 5 and 20 mg/kg of ifenprodil tartrate. Ten min after intraperitoneal injection of 1 and 5 mg/kg of vinpocetine, the glucose uptake was increased to 106 +/- 5% (n = 10, P greater than 0.05) and 112 +/- 4% (n = 10, P less than 0.05) of the control value, respectively. These results indicate that vinpocetine increases cerebral energy metabolism in mice after oral administration as well as intraperitoneal injection.