The effect of a single temazepam administration on enkephalin content in the striatum and hypothalamus of the rat.

Temazepam, a benzodiazepine ataractic, given in a dose of 10 mg/kg ip to rats depressed the striatal contents of met-enkephalin and leu-enkephalin by 60 and 35% resp. The changes were most pronounced 30 min after the treatment. In the hypothalamus temazepam produced a short-lasting elevation of met-enkephalin content (225% of the control value). The pattern of changes produced by temazepam resembles that described for diazepam. This suggests that enkephalins participate in the pharmacological effects of benzodiazepine ataractics on the central nervous system.