4-Hydroxy-2-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (PI-OH): a new potentiator of sympathomimetic amines on the rat anococcygeus muscle

Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of new 1-hydroxy-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepines as norepinephrine potentiators

4-Hydroxy-2-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (PI-OH) (1a) and its derivatives form a new class of compounds which possess norepinephrine (NE) potentiating activity. As a new series of compounds, 1-hydroxy-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepines (2a--f) were synthesized by the intramolecular Barbier reaction of N-[2-(2-iodophenyl)ethyl]phenacylamines (6a--f) with n-BuLi as a key reaction step. The potentiating activities of the benzazepines 2a--f on the contraction of rat anococcygeus muscle induced by NE were tested. Among the compounds tested in this study, compound 2a showed moderate potentiating activity (the activity ratio was 7.3-fold at 3 x 10(-5) M).

New entry of coupling reaction of phenacylamine derivatives with silylstannane

The new coupling reaction of phenacylamines with silylstannane and lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) is reported. The treatment of a phenacylamine iodide 1 with (trimethylsilyl)tributylstannane (Me3SiSnBu3) and cesium fluoride (CsF) gave a dimerization product 2 having no iodine atom. Reaction of 1 with LDA afforded a dimerization product 3 with an iodine atom. The products 2 and 3 were separated to the meso and racemic isomers, respectively.

The role of noradrenaline in the differentiation of amphibian embryonic neurons

The possibility that monoamines might act as signalling molecules during the early development of the nervous system has been examined in embryos of the amphibian Xenopus laevis. The distributions of 5-hydroxytryptamine, dopamine, noradrenaline and their precursor, dopa, were determined from the fertilized egg up to the late neurula stages using High Performance Liquid Chromatography, formaldehyde-induced fluorescence and antibody staining. 5-hydroxytryptamine was not detected until the tail bud stage. The fertilized egg contained significant concentrations of dopa (10(−6) M) and dopamine (10(−7) M). Both monoamines persisted with little change in concentration up to the late neurula stage. Early neurula stage embryos contained very low levels of noradrenaline. Aldehyde-induced fluorescence showed that monoamines are localized in dorsal regions of the embryo, in ectoderm and mesoderm cells. Monoamines were not present in endoderm cells. Immunocytochemical staining showed dopamine predominantly in the ectoderm, except in future neural regions where it was found also in the mesoderm. Dopamine staining was always most intense in dorsal regions of the embryo. The consequences for subsequent neuronal differentiation of interfering with the biosynthesis and receptor binding of monoamines during neurulation was assayed. Neuronal differentiation was monitored quantitatively in cultures set up as the neural tube closed and qualitatively in intact tadpoles that were left to develop for two days after washout of test reagent. The number of neurons, the number of muscle cells and the total number of differentiated cells were counted after 18–24 hours of culture. Comparison of the number of neurons that differentiated from control and treated embryos showed that inhibition of dopamine beta-hydroxylase, the enzyme catalysing the conversion of dopamine to noradrenaline, during the neural plate stages reduced substantially subsequent neuronal differentiation. The differentiation of myocytes and the total number of differentiated cells were not affected. Exogenous noradrenaline (10(−6) M) or dopamine (10(−6) M) could increase the number of neurons that differentiated subsequently in culture. Interfering with noradrenaline binding to receptors with receptor antagonists during neurulation showed that alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonists reduced substantially the subsequent differentiation of neurons. The differentiation of myocytes and the total number of differentiated cells were not affected. The effect of alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonists was overcome by the simultaneous inclusion of noradrenaline or alpha-receptor agonists, but not agonists at beta-adrenergic receptors. The quantitative reduction in the differentiation of neurons was paralleled by defects in the Central Nervous System of intact tadpoles.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Methamphetamine antagonistic property of (+)- and (-)-4-phenyltetrahydroisoquinoline in rat anococcygeus muscle

The antagonistic effects of (+)- and (-)-4-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (4PTIQ) on methamphetamine in the rat anococcygeus muscle were compared with those of cocaine and nomifensine. Methamphetamine contracted the anococcygeus muscle through the release of norepinephrine from noradrenergic nerve terminals. (+)-4PTIQ inhibited the methamphetamine-induced contractions more strongly than cocaine and nomifensine. (+)-4PTIQ had no potentiating effects on exogenous norepinephrine-induced contraction, which was considered to be an index of amine neuronal uptake blockade. On the other hand, (-)-4PTIQ, cocaine and nomifensine produced a significant leftward shift of the norepinephrine concentration-response curve, i.e. they showed a strong blocking effect on amine neuronal uptake. These results suggest that the inhibitory effects of (+)-4PTIQ on the action of methamphetamine are mediated by a mechanism other than inhibition of amine neuronal uptake.

Effects of chronic antidepressant treatment on alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenoceptors in the rat anococcygeus muscle

The effects of a single administration (48 hours) and of chronic (14 days) treatment with tricyclic (desipramine, nortryptiline) and nontricyclic (mianserin, nomifensine) antidepressant drugs on responses of the isolated anococcygeus muscle to the alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist xylazine (inhibition of contraction to field stimulation at 1 Hz) and to the alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine (contraction of the muscle) have been studied. Of the drugs used only desipramine and nortryptiline administered chronically reduced the responsiveness of the anococcygeus muscle to phenylephrine suggesting a desensitization of postsynaptic alpha 1-adrenoceptors. Long-term but not acute administration of antidepressants resulted in significant decrease in sensitivity of presynaptic alpha 2-adrenoceptors to xylazine. These results show that the adaptative changes of alpha-adrenoceptors in the rat anococcygeus muscle following long-term administration may depend on the efficiency to inhibit the neuronal uptake and the ability to antagonize alpha 1-adrenoceptors.