Acute effects of pyrethroids on serotonin release in the striatum of awake rats: an in vivo microdialysis study.

The present study examined the acute neurotoxic effects of three different pyrethroids, allethrin, cyhalothrin, and deltamethrin on the release of serotonin (5-HT) and its metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in the striatum of conscious rats using microdialysis. Allethrin 10 mg/kg reduced extracellular levels of 5-HT to 46%, whereas 20 and 60 mg/kg increased the release to 177% and 243% of baseline, respectively. Cyhalothrin increased 5-HT release to 145-204% and deltamethrin decreased to 58-32% of baseline in a dose-dependent manner. None of the pyrethroids tested altered extracellular levels of 5-HIAA. Local infusion of the voltage-gated sodium channel antagonist tetrodotoxin (TTX) into striatum completely prevented the effects of allethrin, cyhalothrin, and deltamethrin (10 and 20 mg/kg) on 5-HT release. The effect of deltamethrin at 60 mg/kg was completely abolished by striatal infusion of nimodipine (L-type Ca⁺⁺ channel antagonist) with TTX. These findings suggest that pyrethroids disrupt the serotonergic neurotransmission in striatum in a dose-related manner with Na⁺ and Ca²âº channel-dependent mechanisms.

Effect of a CNS-Sensitive Anticholinesterase Methane Sulfonyl Fluoride on Hippocampal Acetylcholine Release in Freely Moving Rats.

Anticholinesterases (antiChEs) are used to treat Alzheimer's disease. The comparative effects of two antiChEs, methanesulfonyl fluoride (MSF) and donepezil, on the extracellular levels of ACh in the hippocampus were investigated by in vivo microdialysis in freely moving rats. MSF at 1 and 2 mg/kg produced a dose-dependent increase in ACh efflux from 10 min to at least 3 hrs after injection. At 2 mg/kg, the increase was still present at 24 hr. Donepezil at 1 mg/kg showed a similar but smaller effect, and, paradoxically, 2 mg/kg showed no consistent effect. MSF at 1 and 2 mg/kg decreased acetylcholinesterase activity in the hippocampus to 54.8 and 20.1% of control, respectively. These results suggest that MSF is a suitable candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Differential presynaptic actions of pyrethroid insecticides on glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons in the hippocampus.

This study was designed to investigate the effects of several pyrethroids on the extracellular level of glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the hippocampus of rats measured using microdialysis following systemic (i.p.) administration. Pyrethroids, allethrin (type I), cyhalothrin (type II) and deltamethrin (type II), were found to have differential effects on glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons in the hippocampus. Allethrin had an interesting dual effect, increasing glutamate release with low doses (10 and 20mg/kg) to about 175-150% and decreasing glutamate release with high dose (60 mg/kg) to about 50% of baseline. Cyhalothrin (10, 20 and 60 mg/kg) inhibited the release of glutamate dose-dependently to about 60-30% of baseline. The extracellular level of GABA was decreased to about 50% of baseline by 10 and 20mg/kg allethrin. The high dose of allethrin (60 mg/kg) and all doses of cyhalothrin (10, 20 and 60 mg/kg) increased the extracellular level of GABA while decreasing the level of glutamate. Deltamethrin dose-dependently increased extracellular glutamate levels to about 190-275% of baseline while decreasing the level of GABA. Local infusion of TTX (1 microM), a Na(+) channel blocker, completely prevented the effect of allethrin (10, 20 and 60 mg/kg), cyhalothrin (20 and 60 mg/kg) and deltamethrin (20mg/kg) on glutamate and GABA release, but only partially blocked the effects of 60 mg/kg deltamethrin. The effect of deltamethrin (60 mg/kg) on glutamate release was completely prevented by local infusion of nimodipine (10 microM), an L-type Ca(2+) channel blocker. Collectively, results from this study suggest that the excitatory glutamatergic neurons in the hippocampus are modulated by inhibitory GABA-releasing interneurons and that other mechanisms, beside sodium channels, may be involved with the neurotoxic action of pyrethroids.

Brain regional acetylcholinesterase activity and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in rats after repeated administration of cholinesterase inhibitors and its withdrawal.

Activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and specific binding of [(3)H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB), [(3)H]pirenzepine (PZP) and [(3)H]AF-DX 384 to muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) preparations in the striatum, hippocampus and cortex of rats were determined 1, 6 and 11 days after the last treatment with an organophosphate DDVP, a carbamate propoxur or a muscarinic agonist oxotremorine as a reference for 7 and 14 days. AChE activity was markedly decreased in the three regions 1 day after the treatment with DDVP for 7 and 14 days with a gradual recovery 6 to 11 days, and much less decreased 1, 6 and 11 days after the treatment with propoxur for 7 days but not for 14 days in the hippocampus and cortex. The binding of [(3)H]-QNB, PZP and AF-DX 384 in the three regions was generally decreased by the treatment with DDVP for 7 and 14 days. Such down-regulations were generally restored 6 or 11 days after the treatment for 7 but not for 14 days. The down-regulation or up-regulation as measured by [(3)H]-QNB, PZP and AF-DX 384 was observed 1, 6 or 11 days after treatment with propoxur for 7 days and/or 14 days. Repeated treatment with oxotremorine produced similar effects except AChE activity to DDVP. These results suggest that repeated inhibition of AChE activity may usually cause down-regulation of mAChRs with some exception in the hippocampus when a reversible antiChE propoxur is injected.

Effects of formalin-preservation on element concentrations in animal tissues.

Determination of the exposure level of environmental pollutants is essential in studies on environmental toxicology. If concentrations of exposed pollutants in tissues are not affected by formalin-preservation, a preserved specimen will provide not only histopathological information but also the exposure level of environmental pollutants. In the present study, concentrations of nine elements in the liver and kidney were compared between fresh and formalin- or neutral formalin-preserved specimens to validate the ultimate analysis of the preserved specimens. After one year of preservation, various elements had diffused from the specimens into the solutions. The concentrations of iron, copper, zinc (in the case of neutral formalin) and selenium in the central region of the specimens showed no alterations, suggesting that the diffusions of these elements were limited to the surface of the specimens. Therefore, preserved specimens may be available for the determination of these elements if the specimens are large enough for their surface to be removed. Concentrations of other elements in the preserved specimens were different from the original ones, because the diffusion or infiltration also occurred in the deep region of the specimens.

Differential effects of pyrethroid insecticides on extracellular dopamine in the striatum of freely moving rats.

In order to obtain a more complete understanding of pyrethroid neurotoxicity, effects of the pyrethroid insecticides, allethrin (type I), cyhalothrin (type II) and deltamethrin (type II) on extracellular levels of dopamine (DA) and its metabolites in the striatum of conscious rats were studied by in vivo microdialysis. Rats were treated i.p. with pyrethroids or vehicle. Allethrin had a dual effect on DA release. The increase in the extracellular level of striatal DA by 10 mg/kg allethrin reached a maximum of 178% of baseline but 20 and 60 mg/kg inhibited DA release to 63% and 52% of baseline with a peak effect at 60-80 min after injection. Cyhalothrin 10, 20 and 60 mg/kg inhibited DA release to 65%, 56% and 45% of basal release, respectively, with a peak time of inhibition 40-80 min past injection. Deltamethrin (10 and 20 mg/kg) increased DA release to maximum of 187% and 252% of basal release whereas 60 mg/kg first reduced the efflux for 40 min to 50% of basal release and then increased the efflux to a maximum of 344% of basal release with a peak time of 120 min. Local infusion of 1 microM tetrodotoxin, a Na(+) blocker through the dialysis probe completely prevented the effect of allethrin (10 and 60 mg/kg), cyhalothrin (60 mg/kg) and deltamethrin (20 mg/kg) on DA release but only partially blocked the effects of 60 mg/kg deltamethrin. The effect of deltamethrin (60 mg/kg) on DA release was completely prevented by local infusion of 10 microM nimodipine, an L-type Ca(++) channel blocker. All three pyrethroids did not alter the extracellular levels of DOPAC, 3-MT and HVA except that 20 and 60 mg/kg of allethrin and cyhalothrin increased 3-MT levels. Effect of the pyrethroids on synaptosomal DA uptake was also examined. The DA uptake was decreased in rats exposed to 60 mg/kg of allethrin and cyhalothrin but was increased in rats exposed to 60 mg/kg of deltamethrin. Our results demonstrate that striatal DA release and DA uptake are differentially affected by type I and the two type II pyrethroids indicating that dopaminergic circuitry, striatal DA in particular, may be a pyrethroid target and that pyrethroids may be acting on striatal DA by multiple mechanisms.

Antiinflammatory effect of Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) seeds.

The antiinflammatory effects of Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) seeds were examined in vivo and in vitro. The extract of this seed (HCSE) inhibited croton oil-induced swelling of the mouse concha. HCSE inhibited cyclooxygenase (COX) -1 and -2 activities, but had no effect on 15-lipoxygenase and phospholipase A2 activities. Inhibition of COX-2 occurred at a lower concentration of HCSE than for COX-1. Japanese horse chestnut seeds contain coumarins and saponins, but these chemicals did not inhibit COX activities. These results suggest that the antiinflammatory effect of Japanese horse chestnut seeds is caused, at least partly, by the inhibition of COX. The inhibitor of COX in this seed may be a chemical(s) other than coumarins and saponins.

Antioxidative and antigenotoxic effects of Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) seeds.

Japanese horse chestnut seed extract (HCSE) dose-dependently inhibited the autooxidation of linoleic acid (IC(50): 0.2 mg/ml), and the inhibition was almost complete at a concentration of 1 mg/ml. The HCSE scavenged DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radicals and superoxide anions with EC(50)s of 0.65 and 0.21 mg/ml, respectively. However, it had no effect on hydrogen peroxide. The HCSE inhibited the genotoxicities of furylfuramide, N-methyl-N-nitrosourea, methyl methanesulfonate, mitomycin C, 2-aminoanthracene and aflatoxin B1 at a concentration of 1 mg/ml or more. Total polyphenol content of the HCSE was 21 mg/g (13 mg/g-seeds). These results indicate that the Japanese horse chestnut seed is an antioxidative and antimutagenic botanical resource.

Neuromechanical effects of pyrethroids, allethrin, cyhalothrin and deltamethrin on the cholinergic processes in rat brain.

Our previous microdialysis study of freely moving rats demonstrated that 3 pyrethroids, allethrin (type I), cyhalothrin (type II) and deltamethrin (type II) differentially modulate acetylcholine (ACh) release in the hippocampus. To better understand the mechanisms of their modulatory effects and also other effects on the cholinergic system in the brain, the activities of ACh hydrolyzing enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), ACh synthesizing enzyme choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and ACh synthesizing rate-limiting step, high-affinity choline uptake (HACU) were examined in the present study. The pyrethroids studied had no effect on AChE activity in the cortex, hippocampus and striatum. These pyrethroids had no significant effect on ChAT in the cortex and hippocampus, but striatal ChAT was increased at higher dosage (60 mg/kg) by all three compounds. Lineweaver-Burk analysis of hippocampal HACU revealed that the pyrethroids did not alter the Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) value but caused alteration of maximal velocity (Vmax). Allethrin (60 mg/kg) and cyhalothrin (20 and 60 mg/kg) decreased while deltamethrin (60 mg/kg) increased the Vmax for HACU. In vitro study showed that at higher concentrations (> or = 10(-) (6) M) allethrin and cyhalothrin reduced the hippocampal HACU but deltamethrin increased it. These results suggest that mechanisms of ACh synthesis are involved in the modulatory effects of the pyrethroids on ACh release and other cholinergic activities.

The modulatory effect of pyrethroids on acetylcholine release in the hippocampus of freely moving rats.

The peripheral effects of pyrethroids on Na(+) channels are well known but the effects on CNS neurotransmission are less known. In the present study, type I and II pyrethroids were found to affect the release of acetylcholine (ACh) from hippocampus in freely moving rats as measured by in vivo microdialysis. The basal release of ACh from the hippocampus of untreated rats was 6.6 pmol/10 microl/10 min. Allethrin had an interesting dual effect on ACh release, increasing ACh efflux (to about 300% of baseline) at the lower dose of 20 mg/kg i.p. with a peak time of 60 min and decreasing the efflux (to about 40% of baseline) at the higher dose of 60 mg/kg i.p. up to 3 h after administration. Cyhalothrin 20 and 60 mg/kg i.p. inhibited the release (to about 30% of baseline) dose-dependently, with a peak time of 50-60 min after administration. Deltamethrin 20 mg/kg i.p. increased the efflux (to about 250% of baseline) with a peak time of 30 min after administration and 60 mg/kg i.p. increased the efflux (to about 450% of baseline) and remained at a steady level during the rest of the 3 h experiment. Control vehicle injections had no effect on the efflux of ACh in any of the experiments. This is the first report, using in vivo microdialysis, that pyrethroids modulate the ACh release in the hippocampus of rat brain.

[Neurotoxicity in sodium azide poisoning].

The effects of sodium azide administration on the central cholinergic functions were investigated utilizing mice to evaluate the neurotoxicity in the acute poisoning. Seven oral doses of the toxicant, ranging in dosage from 12.3 to 59.3 mg/kg, based upon a multiple of 1.3 x 27 mg/kg (an empirical LD50 for mice) or 27 mg/kg divided by 1.3 to calculate the lower three doses, were administered to facilitate the acute signs and to observe behavior. The behavior included locomotor activity, rectal temperature and rotarod performance which are convenient for the evaluation of central cholinergic involvement even if it may be partial, since no behavioral methods to study totally the cholinergic system have been known. Measurements of the activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), enzymes that hydrolyze and synthesize acetylcholine (ACh) and high-affinity choline uptake (HACU), a rate-limiting step in the synthesis of ACh, were determined in the presence of various concentrations of sodium azide in vitro. Adult (12-15 weeks) female ICR strain mice were utilized in this study. Mice were orally given sodium azide in doses from 27 to 59.3 mg/kg and appeared sedated within 5 min. Next we observed hyperpnea and dyspnea, which were followed by seizure and death for mouse groups which received more than 35.1 mg/kg. Oral administration of the sodium azide solution produced an increase in locomotor activity for the 12.3 mg/kg group and a decrease for the higher doses (ranging from 16.0 to 27.0 mg/kg). The sodium azide administration suppressed rectal temperature dose-dependently as well as rotarod performance at high doses (20.8 and 27.0 mg/kg). Such behavioral changes elicited by sodium azide administration suggest an involvement of the central cholinergic system. Sodium azide also caused a measured decrease in the activity of AChE, but an increase in the activities of ChAT and HACU, dose-dependently, in vitro. From the results obtained from the behavioral and the in vitro experiments, we concluded that acute sodium azide poisoning significantly affects the central cholinergic system.

Characterization of binding sites for diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate in spinal cord cytosol.

Gel filtration chromatography was performed on cytosol preparation of hen spinal cord to find molecular target(s) for organophosphorus-induced delayed neurotoxicity (OPIDN). Three binding peaks of [(3)H]diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate (DFP), an organophosphate that induces OPIDN, were separated from the cytosol preparation. The activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and neuropathy target esterase (NTE) that has been proposed as a screening method for OPIDN eluted in the fractions within these two DFP binding peaks. However, the other peak had none of the activities of AChE and NTE. Therefore, this DFP binding proteins in cytosol may be peculiar to the pathogenesis of OPIDN.