ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of catecholamine hormone on the blood and brain of heroin addicts.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rats were divided into three groups and treated with the glucose (control group), the heroin (im) (heroin group), and the combination of the intramuscular injection of reserpine and heroin (reserpine group). Changes in the levels of the dopamine (DA), cAMP, and cGMP were detected by the radioimmunoassay (RIA) method in the blood and brain tissue.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No significant withdrawal symptoms were observed in the reserpine group. Compared with the control and heroin groups, the blood cAMP levels were increased by 35.36% and 15.53% in the reserpine group, respectively; the cAMP levels in the midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and hippocampus (Hipp) were increased by 24.08% & 8.53%, 15.66% & 8.13%, and 21.95% & 8.40%, respectively. While compared to the control and heroin groups, the DA levels of the PFC, Hipp, striatum, and nucleus accumbens (NAc) were significantly reduced in the reserpine group, decreasing by 74.09% & 82.86%, 81.06% & 82.23%, 91.62% & 86.55% and 84.35% & 90.63%, respectively. The concentrations of cGMP of the brain tissues in the reserpine group were lower than those in the control group. In addition, the neural electrophysiological testing showed that the electroencephalogram (EEG), electrocardiogram (ECG), and muscle spindle discharge diagram of rats in both the reserpine and heroin groups were apparently changed.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Catecholamine hormone plays an important role in heroin addiction.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Rats , Brain , Metabolism , Catecholamines , Physiology , Cyclic AMP , Blood , Metabolism , Cyclic GMP , Blood , Metabolism , Dopamine , Blood , Metabolism , Heroin Dependence , Metabolism , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
@#Objective To study the anti-fatigue effect of Cynomorium songaricum flavone(CSF)on old rats.Methods50 old male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the control group(no swimming,no drugs),single swimming group(swimming,given saline by gavage),and three swimming plus CSF groups(swimming,given CSF 20 g/kg weight,10 g/kg weight and 5 g/kg weight respectively),total five groups with 10 animals in each group.Animals swam with free swimming in endless cycles water 30 minutes once every day for 10 days.The level of monoamine oxidase(MAO) and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-px) in blood of animals were examined by MAO kit,GSH-px kit and ultraviolet spectrophotometer at 11th day.ResultsCompared with single swimming group,the body weights of swimming plus CSF groups increased significantly by 12.9%,80.6% and 200% respectively(P<0.01);swimming times before sinking increased by 19.4%,29% and 48.4%;sinking times of each rat(time/10 min) decreased by 17.8%,43.2% and 72.9%;total swimming times increased by 2.8%,7% and 29.6% respectively(P<0.01);MAO decreased by 60%,69.8% and 80.5%,GSH-px increased by 465.3%,563.8% and 635% respectively(P<0.01).ConclusionCSF shows anti-oxidative and anti-fatigue properties and can be given as prophylactic/therapeutic supplements for increasing antioxidant enzyme activities and preventing lipid peroxidation during strenuous exercise.