THE EFFECT OF ORGANIC NITRATES ON NEUROGENIC RELEASE OF DOPAMINE - RELEVANCE TO TOXICITY OF DYNAMITE INGREDIENTS IN THE CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM

The central nervous system is considered to be implicated even in the acute phase of exposure to organic nitrates. Brain dialysis appears to be applicable for confirming the acute effect of these drugs. Accordi ngly, in this study, the striatum of rats which had received organic n itrate intraperitoneally was perfused with saline and dopamine (DA) an d 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl acetic acid (DOPAC) in the dialysate were assaye d by the HPLC method. Increases of DA released from the striatum were detected in the dialysate after administration of the organic nitrates ; glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), ethylene glycol dinitrate (EGDN), and iso sorbide (ISDN). The striatal DA release in the perfusate, which was at tenuated by tetrodotoxin (TTX) infusion and by calcium depletion, was dependent on neural action potential and on calcium uptake into the ne rve cell.