Summary.
We used intrastriatal microdialysis to study the effect of pergolide, a D1/D2 dopamine (DA) receptor agonist on biotransformation of exogenous L-DOPA in hemi-Parkinsonian rats.
DA and metabolites were assayed by microbore liquid chromatography. Pergolide (50 μg/kg, i.p) caused a 67% and 87% decrease in striatal EC levels of DA in intact and denervated striatum respectively. In intact striatum but not in denervated striatum, pergolide decreased EC levels of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) (53% and 42% decrease, respectively). L-DOPA (100 mg/kg, i.p.) produced significant increase in EC levels of DA, DOPAC and HVA in intact and denervated striatum with and without local perfusion of 10−4 M pergolide. In denervated striatum, L-DOPA-induced DA increase was significantly higher in rats with pergolide. Our results suggest that, in an animal model of Parkinson's disease, pergolide in association with L-DOPA favors the restoration of striatal EC DA levels.
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Received April 24, 1998; accepted July 23, 1998
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Dethy, S., Laute, M., Damhaut, P. et al. Pergolide potentiates L-DOPA-induced dopamine release in rat striatum after lesioning with 6-hydroxydopamine. J Neural Transm 106, 145–158 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s007020050147
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s007020050147