Abstract
It was shown in our previous paper (1) that protoveratrine and EDTA caused a remarkable increase in passive permeability of the membrane of brain slices to cations and this increase was completely prevented by so-called stabilizers such as cocaine and calcium ion. Protoveratrine and EDTA are known to be depolarizers (2) and the effects of these drugs on brain slices were considered to represent a model of natural excitation of the nerve cell membrane.
An increase in respiration of brain slices by protoveratrine has been already reported by several investigators (3, 4). In this paper effects of protoveratrine, EDTA and cocaine on respiration and energy metabolism of brain slices are examined to know a relation between changes of membrane structure resulting in an increase in permeability and energy metabolism connected with it.
