Anandamide injected into the lateral ventricle of the brain inhibits submandibular salivary secretion by attenuating parasympathetic neurotransmission

• Published in: Brazilian journal of medical and biological research Vol. 42; no. 6; pp. 537 - 544
• Main Authors: Fernandez-Solari, J, Prestifilippo, J P, Vissio, P, Ehrhart-Bornstein, M, Bornstein, S R, Rettori, V, Elverdin, J C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Associação Brasileira de Divulgação Científica 01.06.2009
• Subjects: Anandamide; Animals; Arachidonic Acids - administration & dosage; Arachidonic Acids - pharmacology; BIOLOGY; Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators - administration & dosage; Cannabinoid Receptor Modulators - pharmacology; Cannabinoid receptor type 1; Endocannabinoids; Gamma-aminobutyric acid; Injections, Intraventricular; Lateral Ventricles - drug effects; Male; MEDICINE, RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTAL; Parasympathetic nervous system; Polyunsaturated Alkamides - administration & dosage; Polyunsaturated Alkamides - pharmacology; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Saliva - drug effects; Saliva - metabolism; Submandibular gland; Submandibular Gland - metabolism; Synaptic Transmission - drug effects; Submandibular gland; Gamma-aminobutyric acid; Parasympathetic nervous system; Cannabinoid receptor type 1; Anandamide
• ISSN: 0100-879X; 1414-431X; 1414-431X; 0100-879X
• DOI: 10.1590/S0100-879X2009000600010

Our objective was to determine the effect of arachidonylethanolamide (anandamide, AEA) injected intracerebroventricularly (icv) into the lateral ventricle of the rat brain on submandibular gland (SMG) salivary secretion. Parasympathetic decentralization (PSD) produced by cutting the chorda tympani nerve strongly inhibited methacholine (MC)-induced salivary secretion while sympathetic denervation (SD) produced by removing the superior cervical ganglia reduced it slightly. Also, AEA (50 ng/5 microL, icv) significantly decreased MC-induced salivary secretion in intact rats (MC 1 microg/kg: control (C), 5.3 +/- 0.6 vs AEA, 2.7 +/- 0.6 mg; MC 3 microg/kg: C, 17.6 +/- 1.0 vs AEA, 8.7 +/- 0.9 mg; MC 10 microg/kg: C, 37.4 +/- 1.2 vs AEA, 22.9 +/- 2.6 mg). However, AEA did not alter the significantly reduced salivary secretion in rats with PSD, but decreased the slightly reduced salivary secretion in rats with SD (MC 1 microg/kg: C, 3.8 +/- 0.8 vs AEA, 1.4 +/- 0.6 mg; MC 3 microg/kg: C, 14.7 +/- 2.4 vs AEA, 6.9 +/- 1.2 mg; P < 0.05; MC 10 microg/kg: C, 39.5 +/- 1.0 vs AEA, 22.3 +/- 0.5 mg; P < 0.001). We showed that the inhibitory effect of AEA is mediated by cannabinoid type 1 CB1 receptors and involves GABAergic neurotransmission, since it was blocked by previous injection of the CB1 receptor antagonist AM251 (500 ng/5 microL, icv) or of the GABA A receptor antagonist, bicuculline (25 ng/5 microL, icv). Our results suggest that parasympathetic neurotransmission from the central nervous system to the SMG can be inhibited by endocannabinoid and GABAergic systems.