IN-VIVO MICRODIALYSIS STUDY OF (+ -)-KAVAIN ON VERATRIDINE-INDUCED GLUTAMATE RELEASE/

This is the first microdialysis study to address the effects of (+/-)- kavain on veratridine-induced glutamate release in freely moving rats. (+/-)-Kavain (100 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly reduced veratridine-indu ced glutamate release compared with that of vehicle-treated controls. Maximum extracellular glutamate levels were obtained 20-40 min after v eratridine stimulation (500 mu M, added to the perfusate). In the cont rol group the increase was 301% and in the (+/-)-kavain group the incr ease was significantly reduced to 219% (the basal value was 100%). The se results demonstrate that (+/-)-kavain reduces veratridine-induced g lutamate release in vivo, which confirms previous in vitro data. (C) 1 998 Elsevier Science B.V.