DRUGS AND FREE AMINO ACIDS IN BRAIN 491 
TABLE VIII 
EFFECT OF RESERPINE ON BRAIN AMINO ACIDS 
Reserpine: 2.5 mg/kg. 




Controls Reserpine 
Ami id 
cheat Batra ee Batra eS 
Taurine 39.2 25-7 2 35 
Aspartic acid 38 63.6 26 68.5 
Threonine 9 4.4 7.8 4.8 
Serine 13 8.8 10 eh 
Asparagine, Glutamine 40.0 -— 34.5 oe 
Glutamic acid 107.7 LiL [11.9 140.5 
Alanine 16.3 34.6 15.1 3252 
GABA 30 28.3 26.3 29.5 


48h after electroshock. The pattern of amino acids is reported in Table X and 
indicates an increase in alanine and a decrease of threonine and serine. 
In conclusion this investigation shows that it is possible to study quantitatively 
the distribution of amino acids in rat brain. Evidence for the presence of conjugated 
amino acids was also obtained. As an example the effect of MAO inhibitors, reserpine 
and electroshock were studied. 
MAO inhibitors do not induce definite and constant changes in brain amino acids 
TABLE IX 
EFFECT OF ELECTROSHOCK ON TOTAL FREE AMINO ACIDS IN BRAIN 

Free amino acids in rat brain after 
picric acid extraction 
Time before — = = ae LZ) 
Hydrolyzed acid 

Treatment 

killing Extract 
(mg|ro0 g) extract 
(mg|too g) 
Controls = 192 396 
Electroshock ro min 187 390 
Electroshock 6h 188 348 
Electroshock 24h 194 388 
Electroshock 48h 190 378 

as they do on some brain amines. Conjugated aspartic acid was constantly increased, 
but other amino acids were affected only by some MAO inhibitors, and not by others. 
The observed differences could be related to some peculiar pharmacological effects 
not shared by all the drugs having in common the activity on MAO. Reserpine 
was without effect when given to rats in a single dose. During this investigation the 
claimed changes induced by MAO inhibitors (increase) and reserpine (decrease) on 
brain GABA" were not confirmed. Electroshock increased alanine concentration and 
decreased threonine and serine. The significance of this observation is still to be 
elucidated. 
References p. 492 
