Effects of delta9-THC on the synaptosomal uptake of 3H-tryptophan and 3H-choline.

The in vitro addition of (-)-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta9-THC) resulted in a dose-responsive inhibition of the high-affinity specific synaptosomal uptake of both 3H-tryptophan and 3H-choline in mouse forebrain crude synaptosomal preparations. The approximate concentrations of delta9-THC required to cause a 50% inhibition of the uptake of 3H-tryptophan and 3H-choline were 33 and 16 muM, respectively. Kinetic analysis showed that inhibition of both compounds were consistent with a noncompetitive mechanism. The pretreatment of mice with doses of 10, 30 or 100 mg/kg delta9-THC had no effect on the subsequent in vitro synaptosomal uptake of either 3H-tryptophan or 3H-choline into forebrain synaptosomes.