Abstract
Urine collections were made from six barbiturate-dependent subjects immediately prior to, during and after drug withdrawal. Urines were analysed for the monoamines adrenaline, noradrenaline, and dopamine and for the metabolites VMA, HVA and 5-HIAA. Withdrawal did not produce any change in the pattern of excretion and at no time did the excretion of any of these substances differ from normal values.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anton, A. H., Sayre, D. F.: A study of the factors affecting the aluminium oxide trihydroxyindole procedure for the analysis of catecholamines. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 138, 360–375 (1962).
Anton, A. H., Sayre, D. F.: The distribution of dopamine and dopa in various animals and a method for their determination in diverse biological material. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 145, 326–336 (1964).
Collier, H. O. J.: A general theory of the genesis of drug dependence by induction of receptors. Nature (Lond.) 205, 81–82 (1965).
Denber, H. C. B., Teller, D. N.: Studies on mescaline XX: comparative effects of phenothiazines, amphetamine and amylobarbital sodium on C14 mescaline content in rat brain after intravenous or intraperitoneal injection. The present of psychotropic drugs. Exerpta Medica 180, 347–348 (1969).
Dunlop, D.: Abuse of drug by the public and by doctors. Brit. med. Bull. 26, 236–239 (1970).
Eisenman, A. J., Sloan, J. W., Martin, W. R., Jasinski, D. R., Brooks, J. W.: Catecholamine and 17-hydroxycorticosteroid excretion during a cycle of morphine dependence in man. J. Psychiat. Res. 7, 19–28 (1969).
Fraser, H. F., Isbell, H., Eisenman, A. J., Wikler, A., Pescor, F. T.: Chronic barbiturate intoxication. Arch. intern. Med. 94, 34–41 (1954).
Fraser, H. F., Wikler, A., Essig, C. F., Isbell, H.: Degree of physical dependence induced by secobarbital or pentobarbital. J. Amer. med. Ass. 166, 126–129 (1958).
Friedman, A. H., Walker, C. A.: Rat brain amines, blood histamine and glucose levels in relationship to circadian changes in sleep induced by pentobarbitone sodium. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 202, 133–146 (1969).
Goldstein, D. B., Goldstein, A.: Possible role of enzyme inhibition and repression in drug tolerance and addiction. Biochem. Pharmacol. 8, 48 (1961).
McFarlane, P. S., Dalgliesh, C. E., Dutton, R. W., Lennox, L., Nyhus, L. M., Smith, A. N.: Endocrine aspects of argentaffinoma with special reference to the use of urinary 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid estimations in diagnosis. Scot. med. J. 1, 148–155 (1956).
Morgan, T. N.: The use and abuse of sedatives with special reference to the barbiturates. Practitioner 171, 196–204 (1953).
Phillis, J. W., Tebecis, A. K.: The effects of pentobarbitone sodium on acetylcholine excitation and noradrenaline inhibition of thalamic neurones. Life Sci. 6, 1621–1625 (1967).
Pisano, J. J., Crout, J. R., Abraham, D.: Determination of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid in urine. Clin. chim. Acta 7, 285–291 (1962).
Sato, T. L.: The quantitative determination of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenylacetic acid (homovanillic acid) in urine. J. Lab. clin. Med. 66, 517–525 (1965).
Sharpless, S. K., Halpern, L. N.: The electrical excitability of chronically isolated cortex studied by means of permanently implanted electrodes. Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol. 14, 244–255 (1962).
Shuster, L.: Repression and de-repression of enzyme synthesis as a possible explanation of some aspects of drug action. Nature (Lond.) 189, 314–315 (1961).
Smith, D. E., Wesson, D. R., Lannon, R. A.: New development in barbiturate abuse. Clin. Tox. 3, 57–65 (1970).
Wahlstrom, G.: Changes in the effects of hexobarbital in male rats induced by manipulations of monoamines through reserpine or pargyline combined with dopa or 5-hydroxytryptophan. Acta pharmacol. (Kbh.) 30, 353–365 (1971).
Weil-Malherbe, H., Smith, R. B., Eisenman, A. J., Fraser, H. F.: Plasma catecholamine levels and urinary excretion of catecholamines and metabolites in two human subjects during a cycle of morphine addiction and withdrawal. Biochem. Pharmacol. 14, 1621–1633 (1965).
Whitlock, F. A.: The syndrome of barbiturate dependence. Med. J. Aust. 2, 391–396 (1970).
Wulff, M. H.: The barbiturate withdrawal syndrome: a clinical and electroencephalographic study. Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol., Suppl. 14 (1969).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Turnbull, M.J., Ballinger, B.R. Urinary excretion of monoamines and metabolites in patients dependent on and withdrawn from barbiturates. Psychopharmacologia 30, 103–108 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421424
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421424