Abstract
Major metabolites of tryptophan: kynurenine (K), 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK), 3-hydroxyanthranilic (3-HAA), anthranilic (AA), picolinic (PA), quinolinic (QA) and nicotinic (NA) acids injected i.p. or s.c. were studied in rats and mice. In rats 3-HK, 3-HAA, AA and NA in doses of 5–20 mg/kg diminished 5-hydroxytryptophan-produced head-twitches but did not affect hypothermia. PA and NA also diminished tryptophan-produced head-twitches. In mice pretreated with nialamide the metabolites tested (3-HK and QA were not tested in a wide dose range) decreased tryptamine-produced head twitches and increased hyperthermia. K, 3-HAA, AA, PA and NA prolonged the latency of oxotremorine tremor in mice and did not influence hypothermia, salivation or diarrhoea.
Antiserotonin and antitryptamine activity of metabolites of kynurenine could possibly enhance the deficiency of brain serotonin and tryptamine which occurs as a result of the “tryptophan drain” under emotional stress when corticosteroids activate liver tryptophan pyrrolase. Diminution of central serotoninergic and cholinergic processes by metabolites of K may be responsible for the shift of a balance between tropho- and ergotropic systems towards predominance of the ergotropic system.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bueno, J. R., Himwich, H. E.: A dualistic approach to some biochemical problems in endogenous depressions. Psychosomatics 8, 82–94 (1967).
Coppen, A.: The biochemistry of affective disorders. Brit. J. Psychiat. 113, 1237–1264 (1967).
Corne, S. J., Pickering, R. W., Warner, B. T.: A method for assesing the effect of drugs on the central actions of 5-hydroxytryptamine. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 20, 106–120 (1963).
Curzon, G.: A relationship between brain serotonin and adrenocortical secretion and its possible significance in endogenous depression. Pharmakopsychiatrie-Neuropsychopharmakol. 2, 234–244 (1969).
Eichler, O., Farah, A. (Eds.): Handbuch der experimentellen Pharmakologie. Vol. 19: 5-hydroxytryptamine and related indolalkylamines. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1966.
Green, A. R., Curzon, G.: The effect of tryptophan metabolites on brain 5-hydroxytryptamine metabolism. Biochem. Pharmacol. 19, 2061–2068 (1970).
Huidobro, F., Contreras, E., Croxatto, R.: Studies on morphine. III. Action of metabolic precursors to serotonin and noradrenaline and related substances on the “abstinence syndrome” to morphine on white mice. Arch. int. Pharmacodyn. 146, 444–454 (1963).
Khaunina, R. A.: Participation of serotoninergic processes in the action of phenigama. In: Serotoninergic processes in the action of psychotropic drugs (I. P. Lapin, ed.), pp. 77–87, Leningrad 1970.
Lapin, I. P.: Does kynurenine possess any neurotropic activity? In: Serotoninergic processes in the action of psychotropic drugs, pp. 113–138. (I. P. Lapin, ed.), Leningrad 1970a.
- Central and peripheral activity of kynurenine and its metabolites. In: Regulatory function of biogenic amines (Abstracts of the conference), pp. 63–64. Leningrad 1970b.
- Neutotropic activities of kynurenine and its metabolites. In: Proceedings of the First Congress of the Hungarian Pharmacological Society, Budapest, October 18–22, 1971 (in press).
—, Oxenkrug, G. F.: Intensification of the central serotoninergic processes as a possible determinant of the thymoleptic effect. Lancet 1969 I, 132–136.
Oxenkrug, G. F.: Central antiserotonin effect of antimanic drugs. In: Serotoninergic processes in the action of psychotropic drugs (I. P. Lapin, ed.), Leningrad 1970.
—: Use of ninhydrin reaction for fluorometric determination of tissue serotonin extracted from acid medium. Voprosy med. khimii (Mosk.) 3, 317–321 (1969).
Rudzit, V. K.: Effect of tryptophan, serotonin, kynurenine, corticosteroids and peroxidase on activity of tryptophan-pyrrolase, 5-hydroxytryptophan decarboxylase and catalase of rat liver. Bull. exp. Biol. Med. 67, 48–50 (1969).
Schelkunov, E. L.: Integrated effect of psychotropic drugs on the balance of cholino-, adreno- and serotoninergic processes in the brain as a basis of their gross behavioral and therapeutic actions. Activ. nerv. sup. (Praha) 9, 207–217 (1967).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lapin, I.P. Interaction of kynurenine and its metabolites with tryptamine, serotonin and its precursors and oxotremorine. Psychopharmacologia 26, 237–247 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00422699
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00422699