The effect of pergolide and MDL 72974 on rat brain CuZn superoxide dismutase.

It has previously been shown that both the dopamine receptor agonist, pergolide, and the monoamine oxidase inhibitor, (-)-deprenyl, can cause induction of CuZn superoxide dismutase in the rat striatum. We have now confirmed this effect of pergolide (0.04 mg/kg i.p.) as being localised to the striatum, but not the cerebellum, and shown it to take 3 weeks to develop. Furthermore, we have found that MDL 72974, a more specific monoamine oxidase inhibitor than (-)-deprenyl, failed to bring about such an induction either at a low selective monoamine oxidase B inhibitory dose, or at a higher non-selective dose.