EFFECT OF LONG-TERM IN-VIVO TREATMENT WITH IMIPRAMINE ON THE OXIDATIVE ENERGY-METABOLISM IN RAT-BRAIN MITOCHONDRIA

The effects of long-term administration of the tricyclic antidepressan t imipramine on energy metabolism of rat brain mitochondria were exami ned, Intraperitoneal administration of the drug resulted in significan t stimulation of the state 3 respiration rates with glutamate, pyruvat e + malate, beta-hydroxybutyrate and succinate as the substrates. The effect was evident within a week of imipramine administration and was sustained through the second week of the drug treatment. State 4 respi ration rates were also found to be increased in general, However, the respiration with ascorbate + TMPD as the electron donor system decreas ed, The intramitochondrial content of cytochrome b and c + c(1) increa sed in the first week of the drug treatment; that of aa, cytochrome in creased only in the second week.