Inhibitory effect of taurine on wet-dog shakes produced by [D-Ala2,Met5] enkephalinamide with reference to effects on hippocampal epileptic discharges.

The effects of taurine on wet-dog shakes produced by [D-Ala2,Met5]enkephalinamide (DAME) were investigated in rats. Wet-dog shakes and epileptic discharges in the hippocampus were produced by intraventricular administration of 50 micrograms of DAME. Pretreatment with 10 microliter of taurine, given intraventricularly in a dose of 0.95 mumol, inhibited wet-dog shakes and epileptic discharges in the hippocampus. While the same dose of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) also inhibited the wet-dog shakes, the same dose of L-leucine did not suppress them. These observations indicate that the inhibition of DAME-induced wet-dog shakes by taurine is associated with the suppression of seizure activities in the hippocampus. The possibility that taurine possesses an antagonistic action on opioid peptides is discussed.