Effects of CDP-choline administration on brain striatum platelet-activating factor in aging rats.

Cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine (CDP-choline) is a precursor in platelet-activating factor (PAF) biosynthesis and it is used in the treatment of diseases of the central nervous system. PAF levels in the striatum of aged (19 months) rats were 67% lower than those found in young (2 months) animals. Chronic treatment of aged rats with CDP-choline (500 mg/kg per day) reduced these PAF levels by more than 65% with respect to those of untreated aged rats after 8 days of treatment. PAF subsequently stabilized at these low levels as treatment continued. These results suggest that some effects of CDP-choline could be mediated by changes in brain PAF levels.