Effects of benzodiazepines on the binding of tryptophan in serum. Consequences on 5-hydroxyindoles concentrations in the rat brain.
Benzodiazepines (diazepam, oxazepam, chlordiazepoxide) inhibited competitively the binding of tryptophan onto rat serum albumin. As a result, in vivo treatment with one of these compounds (chlordiazepoxide for instance) induced a significant increase in the concentration of free tryptophan in serum. These observations suggest that the high levels of both 5-hydroxyindoles and tryptophan which occurred in the rat brain after any benzodiazepine administration could be at least partly the consequence of its effect on tryptophan binding in blood.
Effects of benzodiazepines on the binding of tryptophan in serum. Consequences on 5-hydroxyindoles concentrations in the rat brain. Benzodiazepines (diazepam, oxazepam, chlordiazepoxide) inhibited competitively the binding of tryptophan onto rat serum albumin. As a result, in vivo treatment with one of these compounds (chlordiazepoxide for instance) induced a significant increase in the concentration of free tryptophan in serum. These observations suggest that the high levels of both 5-hydroxyindoles and tryptophan which occurred in the rat brain after any benzodiazepine administration could be at least partly the consequence of its effect on tryptophan binding in blood.