Protriptyline induced inhibition of the in vivo 3H-noradrenaline synthesis from 3H-L-dopa in the rat brain

Antihistamines, phenothiazine-based antipsychotics, and tricyclic antidepressants potently activate pharmacologically relevant human carbonic anhydrase isoforms II and VII

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are important regulators of pH homeostasis and participate in many physiological and pathological processes. CA activators (CAAs) are becoming increasingly important in the biomedical field since enhancing CA activity may have beneficial effects at neurological level. Here, we investigate selected antihistamines, phenothiazine-based antipsychotics, and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) as potential activators of human CAs I, II, IV, and VII. Our findings indicate that these compounds are more effective at activating hCA II and VII compared to hCA I and IV. Overall, hCA VII was the most efficiently activated isoform, particularly by phenothiazines and TCAs. This is especially relevant since hCA VII is the most abundant isoform in the central nervous system (CNS) and is implicated in neuronal signalling and bicarbonate balance regulation. This study offers additional insights into the pharmacological profiles of clinically employed drugs and sets the ground for the development of novel optimised CAAs.

A method for the assay of conjugated 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol, a major noradrenaline metabolite in the rat brain

We present the first published procedure for the measurement of endogenous conjugated 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol (DOPEG) in the rat brain. Conjugated DOPEG is estimated from brain extracts after enzymic hydrolysis, isolation of hydrolysed DOPEG on alumina, methylation of DOPEG to 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MOPEG) and gas chromatographic quantification of MOPEG. The level of conjugated DOPEG in the CNS of rats (65.7 +/- 0.7 ng/g whole brain tissue corrected for recovery) almost equals the level of conjugated MOPEG. The sensitivity of the method is about 6 ng/g brain tissue. After inhibition of monoamine oxidase with clorgyline (30 mg/kg) conjugated DOPEG and MOPEG both disappeared from the brain with a half-life of about 1 h. Turnover calculations indicate that conjugated DOPEG and MOPEG are the two major noradrenaline end-metabolites in the rat brain. The method of estimating conjugated DOPEG also allows the measurement of noradrenaline, dopamine and total MOPEG in an extract from one half of a rat brain.

Effects of thymoleptics on behaviour associated with changes in brain dopamine. I. Potentiation of dopa-induced gnawing of mice

The thymoleptics imipramine, desipramine, protriptyline, nortriiptyline, chlorimipramine and amitriptyline all potentiate gnawing of mice induced by Dopa following decarboxylase inhibitior Ro 4-4602. The gnawing behavior is probably associated with the increase in brain dopamine resulting from this treatment. Thymoleptics also affect other types of behaviour associated with brain dopamine. The relevance of these effects to clinical antidepressive effect and their possible utilization for preclinical screening tests is discussed.

The effect of amitriptyline, desipramine and imipramine on the vivo brain synthesis of 3H-noradrenaline from 3H-L-dopa in the rat

3H-L-Dopa was given to rats after a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor Ro 4-4602 (50 mg/kg) and the effect of 30 min pretreatment with antiptyline (10 mg/kg), desipramine (10 mg/kg) and imipramine (10 mg/kg) on the brain formation of 3H-dopamine, 3H-noradrenaline and their major metabolites was investigated. Desipramine produced a decrease in the level of labelled noradrenaline and its major metabolites free and conjugated 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyleneglycol and 3,4-dihydroxyphenyleneglycol. Imipramine decreased labelled noradrenaline and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyleneglycol, whereas amitriptyline produced no significant effect on noradrenaline metabolism. The thymoleptic drugs produced no significant effect on endogenous brain noradrenaline and dopamine. These findings provide a strong indication that desipramine and imipramine inhibit the 3H-noradrenaline biosynthesis from 3H-L-Dopamthe effect seems closely related to the well-known membrane inhibitory effect of these drugs, since desipramine produced a more marked effect than imipramine and amitriptyline showed no effect. No conclusive evidence for the precise mechanism of action was obtained but it is possible that the decreased 3H-noradrenaline synthesis is related to interference of desipramine and imipramine with the precursor (s) 3H-L-Dopa or 3H-dopamine at sites of 3H-noradrenaline biosynthesis.