The Effects of Chronic Thyroxine and Pargyline Treatment on Locomotor Activity, Blood Pressure, Urinary Electrolytes, Body Weight and Liver and Brain Monoamine Oxidase Activity in Male Albino Rats Maintained on Fixed Caloric Input

Author

Angelo Benedict Mendillo III, University of Rhode Island

Date of Award

1965

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Pharmacology

Department

Pharmacology

First Advisor

John J. DeFeo

Abstract

The effects of chronic treatment with thyroxine, pargyline , and combined thyroxine and pargyline were simultaneously determined on locomotor activity, systolic blood pressure, urinary sodium and potassium excretion, body weight gains and terminal monoamine oxidase activity in brain and liver of male albino rats . Chronic locomotor exploratory activity was shown to be best measured by comparing only the first 30-minute counts of groups of rats run on alternate days in the actophotometer. Significant (PS 0.05) depression of exploratory activity occurred during 11 days of daily intraperitoneal injection of thyroxine, pargyline or both these drugs concurrently. Rats receiving thyroxine or both thyroxine and pargyline lost weight beginning on day 2 or 1, respectively, but rats receiving pargyline alone lost no weight. Treatment with thyroxine elicited continuous hypertension and apparently increased heart rate and stroke volume; these first appeared on day 2 and were present 17 treatment days later. After 4 days of treatment with both drugs there was no hypertension, but heart rate and stroke volume appeared increased. Treatment with pargyline alone appeared to reduce these latter effects, and induced continuous hypotension beginning between days 2 and 7. Urinary excretion of sodium and potassium was continually increased after 7 days of treatment with thyroxine, but not with pargyline or with both drugs. Terminal monoamine oxidase activity in brain and liver was not affected by thyroxine treatment but was completely suppressed in rats receiving pargyline or both drugs.

Recommended Citation

Mendillo, Angelo Benedict III, "The Effects of Chronic Thyroxine and Pargyline Treatment on Locomotor Activity, Blood Pressure, Urinary Electrolytes, Body Weight and Liver and Brain Monoamine Oxidase Activity in Male Albino Rats Maintained on Fixed Caloric Input" (1965). Open Access Master's Theses. Paper 208.
https://digitalcommons.uri.edu/theses/208