High-affinity uptake of choline in slices of rat cerebral cortex: effects of antidepressant and anticholinergic drugs.

Abstract

The high-affinity uptake of choline by rat cerebral cortical slices was inhibited by high concentrations (10-100 microM) of the tricyclic antidepressant drugs imipramine, desipramine, and iprindole in vitro. However the nontricyclic antidepressant viloxazine did not affect choline uptake even at a concentration of 100 microM. None of the drugs had any effect on choline uptake by cortical slices when administered intraperitoneally (5, 10, 25 mg/kg) 30 min before sacrifice. Several anticholinergic drugs were tested for effects on in vitro uptake of choline. Hemicholinium-3 was a potent inhibitor of choline uptake but atropine, hexamethonium, and tubocurarine had no effect even at high concentrations (1000 microM).