Effects of procaine and procaine based drugs on the bioelectric activity of two subcortical nervous structures and on the cardiac rhythm in white rats
Pop, M.; Tarba, C.
Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai. Series Biologia 33(1): 61-71
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0039-3398 Accession: 007282725
The effects of procaine, Gerovital H3 or Aslavital on the amplitude and frequency of the bioelectric waves from the lateral hypothalamus and reticular formation as well as on the cardiac rhytum were studied in anaesthetized white rats using two different ways of administration: intravenous and intrahypothalamic. In intravenous injections, procaine (20 mg/kg b.w.) produces a constant depression of the freqency and amplitude of the rhythmic slow waves in both nervous formations, more visible on the lateral hypothalamic tracings. Gerovital H3 induces a similar depression of the frequency, but, after a transitory decrease, it determines a final increase in the wave amplitude. Although the effects of Aslavital resemble those of Gerovital H3 with regard to wave amplitude, it produces a very significant increase in the wave frequency at the level of the reticular formation. In the case of intrahypothalamic administration (16 .mu.g procaine equivalents/animal), the pattern of response is generally opposite to that observed with intravenous injections and the changes, at least at the level of the lateral hypothalamus, are more superficial. An opposition between Aslavital and the other two drugs is visible this time for the wave amplitude. This parameter is usually increased by procaine and Gerovital H3 (more constantly in the reticular formation) and decreased by Aslavital (more constantly in the lateral hypothalamus). In many cases, Aslavital also elicits a burst of positive sharp waves, reminiscent of the epileptiform abnormality. The cardiac rhythm is usually depressed by all drugs, regardless of the way of adminstration. The differences observed between the two types of experiments and between Aslavital and the other drugs are tentatively explained in terms of dose, chemical composition and selective action of the drugs on different nervous structures.