Reversal of DOPA-induced arousal in reserpine-treated rabbits and mice by histidine

1 The behavioural effects induced by histidine were studied in two species. In rabbits, sedation was assessed by the presence of blepharospasm, loss of righting reflex, and loss of response to painful stimuli. In mice, sedation and arousal were assessed by changes in the locomotor activity, exploratory activity, and minimal electroshock seizure threshold.2 The administration of histidine to normal rabbits or mice, in doses of 800 mg/kg and 1000 mg/kg respectively, had no apparent effect on behaviour. Moreover, it did not affect the behavioural excitation induced by L-DOPA (100 mg/kg i.v. in rabbits and 750 mg/kg i.p. in mice) in these animals.3 The administration of histidine with or after L-DOPA in reserpine-treated rabbits (2.5 mg/kg i.v.) or mice (5 mg/kg, i.p.) produced sedation. This sedative effect was dose-dependent.4 The sedative effects induced by histidine after DOPA-induced arousal in reserpine-treated rabbits and mice were prevented by prior injection of the histamine H(1)-receptor blockers, chlorpheniramine (2.5 mg/kg) or diphenhydramine (5 mg/kg).5 Imipramine (7 to 10 mg/kg, i.v.)-induced arousal in reserpine-treated rabbits was also reversed by histidine infusion.6 The infusion of 5-hydroxytryptophan (100 mg/kg, i.v.) with L-DOPA, or of arginine (450 mg/kg, i.v.) with or after L-DOPA, or of histamine (100 mug/kg), i.v.) after L-DOPA, did not affect the DOPA-induced arousal in reserpine-treated rabbits.7 These findings indicate that histamine, formed centrally from exogenous histidine, and released in increased amounts at the synapses in reserpine-treated animals, possesses a central sedative effect. This effect may be sufficient to antagonize the behavioural excitation induced by high levels of catecholamines in the brain of these animals when aroused by L-DOPA administration.8 It is concluded that in addition to the other monoamines, histamine may also be implicated in the regulation of brain excitability.