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Effect of Anticonvulsant Drugs In Vivo On Rat Pineal N‐Acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.5) and Hydroxyindole‐O‐Methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.4)
Author(s) -
Morton Dougal J.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of pineal research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1600-079X
pISSN - 0742-3098
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-079x.1986.tb00740.x
Subject(s) - melatonin , anticonvulsant , nocturnal , medicine , nat , n acetyltransferase , endocrinology , pineal gland , pharmacology , in vivo , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , epilepsy , neuroscience , computer network , microbiology and biotechnology , acetylation , computer science , gene
The effect of anticonvulsant drugs on daytime and nighttime N‐acetyltransferase (NAT) and hydroxyindole‐O‐methyltransferase (HIOMT) levels was investigated. Some of the drugs caused a significant reduction in daytime NAT and HIOMT levels, possibly owing to beta‐receptor blockade although other mechanisms cannot be excluded. Sulthiame caused an increase in daytime NAT levels, and this may represent a compensatory mechanism by the pineal gland to allow normal melatonin production. None of the drugs affected nocturnal HIOMT levels, and only phenobarbitone affected NAT levels, apparently causing a shift in the nocturnal peak later in the dark phase.