OBJECTIVETo study the effects of chlorpromazine combined with Platycodon grandiflorum on the striatal extracellular dopamine level in rats and to research the interaction and the mechanism of action after combining traditional Chinese medicine with western medicine.

METHODTwenty four rats were randomly assigned into four groups: the control group, Platycodon group, chlorpromazine group and chlorpromazined combined with P. grandiflorum group. The level of dopamine in CSF microdialysis samples was detected with high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detector after administration for 10 days.

RESULTThe CSF level of DA (1.52 +/- 0.34) microg x L(-1) was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in chlorpromazine combined with P. grandiflorum group than that in the chlorpromazine group (1.25 +/- 0.22) microg x L(-1) (P < 0.05) and that in the normal control (1.06 +/- 0.24) microg x L(-1) (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe combining utilization of P. grandiflorum and chlorpromazine may increase the DA concentration of monoamine neurotransmitters, which results in under the therapeutic effect is maintained, the dosage of chlorpromazine used to individuals are decreased and the incidence rate of the adverse reactions of chlorpromazine will descend.

Animals ; Chlorpromazine ; chemistry ; Corpus Striatum ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Dopamine ; metabolism ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Male ; Microdialysis ; Platycodon ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley