Effects of chloral hydrate, gamma-butyrolactone, and equithesin on the efflux of dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolites into cerebroventricular perfusates of rats.

Chloral hydrate, gamma-butyrolactone, and Equithesin are general anesthetics which have been employed in a variety of neurochemical and electrophysiological experiments. The effects of these anesthetics on the efflux of dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolites into lateral cerebroventricular perfusates were determined in rats bearing chronically implanted cannulas. Chloral hydrate and Equithesin increased, whereas gamma-butyrolactone decreased, the efflux of the dopamine metabolites 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid. None of the anesthetics had a consistent effect on the efflux of the 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid.