BRAIN CHOLESTEROL. 8. EFFECT OF METHYLPHENIDATE (RITALIN) ON THE INCORPORATION OF SPECIFICALLY LABELED ACETATE.

Abstract

In order further to understand factors affecting cholesterol metabolism in adult animals, we have studied the effect of a central nervous system stimulant, methylphenidate (Ritalin), on brain cholesterol metabolism. Structurally, this compound is related to compounds having a hypocholesterolemic effect (1,2,3), and also acts as a central nervous system stimulant(4). A preliminary report of these experiments has been published (5). The present paper is a more complete study of the effect of this drug on acetate incorporation into brain cholesterol.Experimental. Radioactive precursors. Acetate-2-3H (10 mC/m-mole); acetate-l-14C (2.8 mC/m-mole); acetate-2-14C (1.5 mC/m-mole) were used simultaneously in these studies. Radioactive nutrients were dissolved in physiological saline, with benzyl alcohol (0.9%) added as a preservative. The resultant solutions were injected intraperitoneally.The drug (methylphenidate) Ritalin, donated by Ciba Pharmaceutical Co. (H. Sheppard), was prepared as a 1% solution in saline....