The action of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine)in vivoupon the microfilariae ofDirofilaria, Loaand five other species

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Abstract
When serotonin is injected intravenously into certain animals containing microfilariae it causes a sharp short rise in the microfilaria count in the blood, i.e. liberation of microfilariae from the lungs. This happens in the case ofDirofilaria immitis(in dog),D. repens(in dog),Loa loa(in drill),Edesonfilaria malayensisand another Dirofilaria-like microfilaria (in monkey),Monnigofilaria setariosa(in mongoose), andDipetalonema gracile(in squirrel monkey); but not withDip. witei(in gerbil) andLitomosoides cariniiin cotton rats.This action (uponD. immitis) is not inhibited by atropine. Administration of reserpine, harmine or harmaline to dogs did not exert any definite action on the microfilaria count ofD. immitis. Serotonin had no obvious effect on thein vitroactivity of microfilariae ofL. loaorE. malayensis. Melatonin had no actionin vivoupon any of the above microfilariae.The action of serotonin upon microfilariaein vivois similar to that of acetylcholine but it is not identical with it since the sensitivity ofDip. gracileandDip. witeito the two compounds is different.Apparently this action is not involved in the production of the 24 h periodicity shown by many microfilariae. It may depend upon disturbance of the normal neuromuscular mechanisms of the microfilariae by which they are retained in the small vessels of the lungs.

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