[Atypical antidepressants: effect on synaptosomal uptake of serotonin and GABA]

Effect of the antidepressants of different chemical groups--imipramine, desmethylimipramine, chlorimipramine, befuralin, trazodon, pyrazidol, inkasan and azaphen--on the uptake of 3H-serotonin and 3H-GABA by the crude synaptosomal fraction of the rat brain was studied. The Cm values for the uptake of serotonin and GABA were 0.195 and 30 micro M, respectively. Inkasan and azaphen were the most potent inhibitors of the 3H-serotonin uptake (65-70% inhibition at a concentration of 50 micro M. Azaphen and chlorimipramine were the only ones to inhibit the uptake of 3H-GABA at a concentration of 50 micro M. The majority of the antidepressants studied inhibited the GABA uptake only at high concentrations.