Cyclic adenosinemonophosphate in cerebrospinal fluid. Effects of theophylline, L-dopa and a dopamine receptor stimulant in rats.

The effects of L-Dopa and the dopamine receptor stimulant ET-495 on cisternal cAMP levels were studied in rats. L-dopa (100-200 mg/kg) increased cisternal cAMP levels by 60 to 80% of controls. When peripheral Dopa-decarboxylase was inhibited, smaller doses of L-Dopa were effective. Fla-63, an inhibitor of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase lowered the increase induced by L-Dopa which was completely suppressed by propranolol, not by phentolamine, suggesting that the cAMP increase is mediated through a central beta-adrenoceptor stimulation. ET-495 failed to influence cAMP levels which argues against a dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase involved in the L-Dopa effect. Moreover, large increases of cisternal cAMP were observed after treatment with theophylline , not papaverine which suggests different effects of these "phosphodiesterase inhibitors" on the cyclic AMP systems in the central nervous system or on transport mechanisms.