Baclofen, a GABA-derivative inhibits stress induced prolactin release in the rat

JOSE L D ERAMO; GUSTAVO M SOMOZA; ESTEBAN KERTESZ; CARLOS LIBERTUN,; GUSTAVO M SOMOZA

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Año: 1986 vol. 120 p. 81 - 85

0014-2999

The effect of baclofen, fl-(4-chlorophenyl)GABA, on prolactin secretion was investigated in rats under several experimental conditions. In adult male rats subjected either to immobilization, ether, swimming or cold stress there was a rapid increase of serum prolactin levels; acute pretreatment with baclofen, 10 mg/kg i.p. inhibited the hormone response to all these stresses. The same blocking effect of the drug was observed in prepubertal male and female rats and in adult gonadectomized animals. In basal conditions, i.e. in undisturbed male rats, baclofen did not change the hormone titers significantly. Taken together our results indicate that baclofen blocks prolactin release when release of the hormone is dynamically stimulated by stress and this effect is relatively independent of the endocrine status of the rat.