Bromocriptine and hydergine: a comparison on striatal or hypothalamic adenylate cyclase activity.

We compared the effects of bromocriptine and of hydergine on striatal and hypothalamic adenylate cyclase activity. Rats treated with bromocriptine (5 mg/kg) or with hydergine (3 mg/kg), showed a stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity in the striatum, but not in the hypothalamus. Furthermore, we considered the competitive action bromocriptine and hydergine had on the dopamine-stimulating effect of the adenylate cyclase activity. There was a definite inhibition of the dopamine-stimulating effect both in the striatum and in the hypothalamus of the rats treated with bromocriptine. In those treated with hydergine we observed an inhibiting effect on the striatum and an increased dopamine stimulation on the hypothalamus.