TACHYPHYLAXIS TO SOME SYMPATHOMIMETIC AMINES IN RELATION TO MONOAMINE OXIDASE

Tachyphylaxis to the effects of indirectly acting sympathomimetic amines has been studied on the blood pressure of the cat, rabbit and rat, on the cat spleen and nictitating membrane and on the rabbit heart. The pressor responses to tyramine and to phenethylamine declined slowly with repeated injection; the extent of tachyphylaxis induced by these amines depended on the dosage and on the frequency of injection. The pressor responses to alpha-methyltyramine and to dexamphetamine (alpha-methylphenethylamine) declined rapidly with successive injections. The tachyphylaxis induced by one indirectly acting sympathomimetic amine is crossed to others, but not to directly acting amines, such as noradrenaline. In animals treated with nialamide, a drug which inhibits monoamine oxidase, the tachyphylaxis induced by tyramine and by phenethylamine was similar to that produced by their alpha-methyl derivatives in normal animals. Similar results were obtained when the responses to indirectly acting sympathomimetic amines were studied on the cat spleen in situ and on the rabbit heart in vitro. Indirectly acting sympathomimetic amines impaired the responses of the cat nictitating membrane to sympathetic nerve stimulation; this effect was most evident with alpha-methylated amines.