Effect of sodium barbitone on acetylcholinesterase and monoamine oxidase activities in discrete brain regions of albino rat

ABSTRACT

The effect of i.p. injection of two separate doses of sodium barbitone [10 or 20 mg/100 g body wt.] on the AChE and MAO activities was studied in nine brain regions of albino rat after one, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 days of repeated injection. Injection of 10 mg sod. barbitone/100 g body wt. provoked a general increase in AChE activity in most of the brain parts, however 20 mg sod. barbitone/100 g body wt induced a decrease rather than an increase in the AChE activity of the different brain areas during the whole experimental period. Administration of either of the two doses of sodium barbitone provoked a general increase of MAO activity in the different brain regions and the amount of increase was not the same at the different time intervals investigated. It is possible to conclude that the changes in the activity of the catabolic enzymes [AChE and MAO] in the different brain regions of rat following drug treatment may be associated with the rapid reactions in a general regulatory system against chemical stress