• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.370-374
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• 2002

Administration of dopamine agonist, apomorphine (2 mg/kg, s.c.), produces cage climbing behavior in mice that exhibit typical dopaminergic stimulation. The present study investigated the pCREB expression level in several brain regions following apomorphine treatment in order to determine whether the increased the dopaminergic activation produced by apomorphine accompanies the changes in pCREB immunoreactivity. A mouse brain was removed at 0min, 10 min, 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 7 h, and 24 h after apomorphine treatment. The brain tissue was fixed by an intracardiac perfusion with ice-cold 4％ paraformaldehyde in PBS. Immunohistochemical study was conducted using the ABC-DAB method. The data showed that the immunoreactivity of pCREB increased in the striatum, nucleus-accumbens, piriform cortex and the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus of a mouse brain 30 min after the apomorphine treatment. Increased immunoreactivity began to diminish 2 h after the apomorphine treatment in all the brain regions measured. The time course for the pCREB immunoreactivity was similar to the behavioral response induced by the apomorphine treatment. These results suggest that activation of the dopamine receptor is accompanied by an increase in pCREB expression in the mouse brain.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.147-151
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• 2009

Repeated psychostimulants induce electroencephalographic (EEG) changes, which reflect adaptation of the neural substrate related to dopaminergic pathways. To study the role of dopamine receptors in EEG changes, we examined the effect of apomorphine, the dopamine D1 receptor antagonist, SCH-23390, and the D2 receptor antagonist, haloperidol, on EEG in rats. For single and repeated apomorphine treatment groups, the rats received saline or apomorphine for 4 days followed by a 3-day withdrawal period and then apomorphine (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.) challenge after pretreatment with saline, SCH-23390, or haloperidol on the day of the experiment. EEGs from the frontal and parietal cortices were recorded. On the frontal cortex, apomorphine decreased the power of all the frequency bands in the single treatment group, and increased the theta (4.5 ${\sim}$ 8 Hz) and alpha (8 ${\sim}$ 13 Hz) powers in the repeated treatment group. Changes in both groups were reversed to the control values by SCH-23390. On the parietal cortex, single apomorphine treatment decreased the power of some frequency bands, which were reversed by haloperidol but not by SCH-23390. Repeated apomorphine treatment did not produce significant changes in the power profile. These results show that adaptation of dopamine pathways by repeated apomorphine treatment could be identified with EEG changes such as increases in theta and alpha power of the frontal cortex, and this adaptation may occur through changes in the D1 receptor and/or the D2 receptor.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.613-617
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• 2001

The present study examined the hypothesis that NMDA, AMPA/Kainate, and metabotropic (mGlu) glutamate receptors contribute to a behavioral stimulation induced by activation of dopamine receptors by comparing responses in apomorphine-induced cage climbing behaviors in mice. MK-801, CNQX, and MCPG were served as the NMDA receptor, AMPA/Kainate receptor, and mGlu receptor antagonist, respectively, to elucidate the glutamatergic modulation in apomorphine-induced eopaminergic activation in mice. Drugs were administered intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) into the mouse brain 15 min before the apomorphine treatment (2 mg/kg, s.c.). 1.c.v. injection of MK-801 inhibited the apomorphine-induced cage climbing behavior dose-dependently. However, treatments with CNQX and MCPG did not any significant change in apomorphine-induced cage climbing behavior in mice. These results suggest that stimulation of NMDA type of glutamate receptors could contribute to the dopaminergic sti mutation, but not AMPA/Kainate and mGlu type glutamate receptors.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.129-133
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• 2003

In order to evaluate the effects of vehicles and penetration enhancers on skin permeation of apomorphine, the skin permeation rates of apomorphine from vehicles of different composition were determined using Franz diffusion cells fitted with excised rat skins. Solubility of apomorphine in various solvents was investigated to select a vehicle suitable for the percutaneous absorption of apomorphine. The solvents used were propylene glycol (PG), $Transcutol^{\circledR},\;Labrasol^{\circledR},\;Labrafac hydro WL^{\circledR},\;Labrafil WL 2609 BS^{\circledR}$ and isopropyl alcohol. Even though permeation rates of apomorphine from each vehicle were low $(0.008-0.36\;{\mu}g/cm^2/hr)$, the combination of PG and $Labrafac^{\circledR}$ increased it significantly. The permeation rates of apomorphine from $PG/Labrafac^{\circledR}$ mixtures increased as the volume fraction of PG in the mixture increased. The maximum permeation rate of $18\;{\mu}g/cm^2/hr$ was achieved at 30% of PG, which decreased with further increase of PG fraction. A series of fatty acids, alcohols and monoterpenes were employed as penetration enhancers. Incorporation of each enhancer in the $PG/Labrafac^{\circledR}$ (30:70) mixture at the level of 10% improved the skin permeation significantly. The highest permeation rate, $117\;{\mu}g/cm^2/hr$, was attained with myristic acid.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.18-23
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• 1992

Central dopaminergic activity of standardized ginseng extract G115 was investigated in comparison with those induced by haloperidol in rats. The effects of G115 on the locomotor activity and, stereotyped behavior induced by apomorphine, which interacts directly with dopamine receptor were observed. Apomorphine(2 mg/kg) significantly decreased locomotor activity, whereas it showed a markdly increased incidence of stereotyped behavior. Standardized ginseng extract G115(100 mg/kg) and haloperidol(1 mg/kg) showed a significant decrease in locomotor activity but not induced stereotyped hehavior. Locomotor activity induced by apomorphine was markdly decreased by haloperidol(1 mg/kg), but that was significantly increased by standardized ginseng extract G115(50 mg/kg). Stereotyped behavior induced by apomorphine was completely supressed haloperidol(1 mg/kg), but was not changed by standardized ginseng extract G115. These results suggest that standardized ginseng extract G115 plays an important role in central dopaminergic activity, and haloperidol and standardized ginseng extract G115 seem to have a different action in behavior.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.868-876
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• 2000

Objective : Parkinsonian rat models have generally been characterized by unilateral destruction of both the nigrostriatal pathway and the mesolimbic pathway using the neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine. The induction of contraversive turning by apomorphine in these models is thought to reflect the stimulation of supersensitive dopamine D2 receptor or receptor-mediated mechanisms in denervated neostriatum. The present study was undertaken to investigate the expression of dopamine D2 receptor in denervated striatum according to modalities of apomorphine(dopamine agonist) treatment after creating a hemiparkinsonian rat model in which there is 6-hydroxydopamine induced destruction of the unilateral dopaminergic nigrostriatal pathway. Methods : After making complete lesion in left side substantia nigra pars compacta(SNpc) by stereotactic injection of 6-hydroxydopamine into medial and lateral areas of SNpc, and confirming successful animal model by apomorphine induced contraversive turning behavior without recovery and complete destruction of ipsilateral SNpc with tyrosine hydroxylase immunostaining in 7th day after operation, 15 rats of parkinsonian model were studied with or without administration of apomorphine at varying doses and durations. According to the modalities of apomorphine treatment for 4 days, these rats were divided into 3 groups, as not-treated group, intermittently treated group and constantly treated group. For investigating the extent of the expression of dopamine D2 receptor in denervated striatum, immunohistochemical staining by dopamine D2 receptor antibody and Western blot were performed. Results : In the D2 receptor antibody immunohistochemical staining, the mean number of positive stained neurons was highest in not-treated group($20.5{\pm}1.14$) of 3 groups. In constantly treated group, the mean number of positive stained neurons was less($3.9{\pm}1.79$) than intermittently treated group(p<0.05). The Western blotting with the D2 receptor antibody revealed that expression of receptors was also highest in not-treated group and less in constantiy treated group than intermittently treated group. Conclusion : Dopamine D2 receptors in denervated striatum of parkinsonian rat models, which were not treated with apomorphine, revealed to be most highly expressed. And, according to doses and durations of apomorphine administration, desensitization of the receptor was more apt to develop with constant treatment than intermittent treatment. In clinical setting, the authors believe that, in long-term treated parkinsonian patients, desensitization of dopamine receptors due to chronic dopaminergic stimulation seems to be partially related to mechanisms of drug tolerance.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.137-140
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• 1983

A rapid, high yield of N-norapomorphine from apomorphine was accomplished by allowing it to react with phenyl chloroformate without isolating and purifying the intermediate carbamate, and have found that the crude carbamate can be easily cleaved in situ with a 1:1 mixture of 64% and 95% hydrazine to afford analytically pure N-norapomorphine in 81% overall yields. Previously, various other methods gave an untoward ring opening reactions and scission of the hydropyridine ring in the apomorphine series.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.266-268
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• 1980

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.87-100
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• 1994

It has been known for some time that dopamine-containing cells are existed in sympathetic ganglia, i.e., small, intensely fluorescent cells. However, its role and mechanism of action as a peripheral neurotransmitter are poorly understood so far. In the present study, an attempt was made to examine the effect of apomorphine, which is known to be a selective agonist of dopaminergic $D_2$. receptor on secretion of catecholamines (CA) from the isolated perfused rat adrenal gland. The perfusion of a low concentration of 10uM apomorphine into an adrenal vein for 20 min produced significant reduction in CA secretion induced by 5.32 mM ACh, 56 mM KCl, 100 uM DMPP and 100 uM McN-A-343. Increasing apomorphine concentration to 30 uM led to more markedly decreased CA secretion as compared to the case of 10 uM apomorphine and also did inhibit clearly CA release by $10^{-5}M$ Bay-K-8644. Furthermore, in adrenal glands preloaded with a higher dose of 100 uM apomorphine, CA releases evoked by ACh, excess $K^+$, DMPP and McN-A-343 were almost abolished by the drug. The perfusion of $3.3{\pm}10^{-5}M$ metoclopramide, which is well-known as a selective dopaminergic $D_2$ antagonist, produced significantly inhibitory effect of CA release by ACh, DMPP and McN-A-343 but did not affect that by excess $K^+$. However, preloading of 30uM apomorphine in the presence of metoclopramide did not modify the CA secretory effect of excess $K+$ and DMPP. These experimental results demonstrate that apomorphine causes dose-dependent inhibition of CA secretion by cholinergic receptor stimulation and also by membrane depolarization from the isolated perfused rat adrenal gland, suggesting that these effects appear to be exerted by inhibiting influx of extracellular calcium into the rat adrenal medullary chromaffin cells through activation of inhibitory dopaminergic receptors.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.197-201
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• 1995

The present study was undertaken to elucidate the behavioral characteristics of nootropic candidates, entrophenoxine, N-methyl-D-glucamine, piracetam and red ginseng saponin components on stereotyped sniffing behavior induced by apomorphine in rats. Apomorphine, a direct dopaminergic receptor agonist, induced stereotyped behaviors including sniffing licking growing and biting in a dosedependent manner, and that behaviors were completely inhibited when measured at 1 week after 6-ydroxydopamine(6-HDA) treatment. Centrophenoxine, N-methyl-D-glucamine, red ginseng total saponin(TS), panaxatriol (PT), and Rg1 enhanced but panaxadiol (PD) inhibited, whereas piracetam and Rb1 were not effective of the sterotyped sniffing behavior induced by apomorphine(1mg/kg). The enhanced stereotyped behavior by centrophenoxine, N-methyl-D-glucamine, red ginseng total saponin, panaxatriol(PT), and Rg1 seems to have a similarity to entrophenoxine, N-methyl-D-glucamate in modulating of dopaminergic neuroal activity and also my be useful for the nootropic candidates.