Low concentrations of trifluoperazine affect striatal cells in culture.

Primary monolayer cultures of the newborn rat corpus striatum were treated with the phenothiazine trifluoperazine after various times in culture. When the drug is added to cells at least 3 weeks old, concentrations of 10(-7) and 10(-8) M appear morphologically identical to controls but show significant changes in synthesis of acetylcholine and gamma-aminobutyric acid, particularly the former. The results with these very low concentrations suggest that the drug has a highly specific effect directly on striatal cells, and that it is not acting via calmodulin.