Effects of general central nervous system depressants with and without calcium ionophore A23187 of rat cerebellar cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate.

Rat cerebellar cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) concentrations were determined by radioimmune methods after sacrifice with focused microwave fixation in animals pretreated with either ethanol, pentobarbital, or diethyl ether, either alone or in combination with the calcium ionophore A23187. Both pentobarbital sodium and diethyl ether produced a dose-dependent depression of cerebellar cGMP. When A23187 was administered alone, significant increases of cerebellar levels of cGMP were observed. The administration of A23187 to animals acutely intoxicated with ethanol, pentobarbital, or diethyl ether resulted in significant depression of cerebellar cGMP levels.