Effect of diethyl carbamazine on neurotransmitter amino acids, biogenic amines and certain related enzymes in Setaria digitata.

Effect of diethyl carbamazine (DEC) on the levels of neurotransmitter amino acids and on the activities of related enzymes of S. digitata have been studied. When the worms were incubated in DEC, substances known to have neurotransmitter effect were found increased except glycine. Among the amines the level of serotonin, dihydroxy phenyl alanine and epinephrine were increased and that of histamine remained the same. DEC inhibited activities of monoamine oxidase, aspartate amino transferase and alanine amino transferase and enhanced those of cathepsin and glutamate dehydrogenase. The effect of DEC on the activities of the enzymes appear to account for the increased level of amino acids and amines. Results indicate that the reversible paralysis caused by DEC is due to the accumulation of neurostimulants and associated decrease in the concentration of inhibitors.