Central nervous system effects of hypothalamic peptides.

Intravenous (i.v.) administration of TRF (1 mg/kg) increases the LD50 of pentobarbital (PB) by 25% while the same dose of somatostatin results in a 30% reduction in PB LD50. A similar increase of PB LD50 by TRF was observed in hypophysectomized rats. Mortality was completely abolished in rats receiving TRF (1 mg/kg) ten minutes after a lethal dose of PB (120 mg/kg). Somatostatin (1 mg/kg) decreases strychnine-induced seizure duration and increases strychnine LD50 by 21% while TRF lowers the strychnine LD50 by 28%. These observations are consistent with central nervous system sites of action for TRF and somatostatin.