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1. The feasibility of the brain microdialysis method for direct measurement and pharmacokinetic study of imipramine (Imip) and its metabolite desipramine (DMI) was investigated in the rat brain. 2. A dialysis tube was inserted into the right striatum of male Wistar rats, which were administered i.p. with 12.5 mg kg-1 Imip. Thirty microliters dialysate was collected every 15 min, and the levels of Imip and DMI were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (h.p.l.c.-e.c.d.). SKF-525A and aminopyrine were concomitantly administered in order to assess their respective effects on the pharmacokinetics of Imip and DMI in the brain. 3. The intracerebral half life (t1/2) of Imip was 2.4 +/- 0.3 h with Imip alone. Premedication with SKF-525A, an inhibitor of drug-metabolizing enzymes, significantly prolonged the t1/2 of Imip, while at the same time production of DMI from Imip was accordingly inhibited. Concomitant administration of aminopyrine did not induce any significant change in the concentrations of Imip, but significantly inhibited the concentrations of DMI through its competitive antagonism in the demethylation pathway. 4. The present results suggest that the brain microdialysis method reflects the intracerebral pharmacokinetics of Imip and DMI well and may be applicable to further pharmacokinetic investigations of psychotropic agents.

The direct correlation analyses between the distribution of chlorpromazine (pharmacokinetics) and the biochemical effects of the drug on monoamine metabolisms (pharmacodynamics) are reported. Both samples for quantitative determination of CPZ and of monoamine transmitters and metabolites were obtained by organic extraction procedures from the same sample. The determinations were carried out by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. CPZ affected the concentrations of metabolites of noradrenaline, dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine, but not those of the monoamine transmitters themselves. However, simultaneous assay demonstrated differences in effects of the drug on the transmitter systems. The concentrations of HVA and DOPAC were increased over a wide range of intracerebral concentrations of the drug, but those of MOPEG, in the range of higher concentrations. On the other hand, CPZ did not reveal any correlations between the intracerebral concentrations of the drug and 5-HIAA. These results suggest that CPZ affected primarily the dopaminergic system rather than the serotonergic one in the early stage of its biochemical actions. The proposed procedure is demonstrated to be simple and useful as a new approach in biochemical pharmacology. The same procedure can be applicable for other centrally acting drugs.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of morphine in dissected brain regions were concurrently investigated. Wistar rats, weighing about 200 g, were injected intravenously with several doses (2.5-60 mg/kg) of morphine. Concentrations of the drug and monoamine-related substances were determined in each sample of dissected brain regions by a combination of organic solvent extraction and high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Regional distribution of morphine in the brain was almost even,and the biological half life of the drug in each region was 50-75 min. Morphine increased the steady-state levels of monoamine metabolites (DOPAC, HVA, 5-HIAA and MOPEG) in all regions, while no marked changes of parent monoamines (NA, DA and 5-HT) were observed. These increase effects of morphine were inhibited by naloxone (1 mg/kg). The levels of DOPAC and HVA were significantly correlated with that of morphine in all brain regions, for example,in the striatum,r=0.7622 (P