Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Activation of Tyrosine Hydroxylation in Rat Brain in vivo by Chlorpromazine

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

PHENOTHIAZINES and related neuroleptic drugs, such as thioxanthenes, markedly increase the content of homovanillic acid (3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid) in the brain, especially in the extrapyramidal centres of various animal species. This has raised the question of whether neuroleptic drugs accelerate the synthesis of catecholamines through a feed-back mechanism either as a result of blockade of dopaminergic and noradrenergic receptors or of alteration of the amine storage1–6,16. The present communication shows that in vivo chlorpromazine and related neuroleptics markedly enhance the hydroxylation of tyrosine which seems to be a rate-limiting step in the formation of catecholamines7.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Gey, K. F., and Pletscher, A., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 145, 337 (1964).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Andén, N. E., Roos, B. E., and Werdinius, B., Life Sci., 3, 149 (1964).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Laverty, R., and Sharman, D. F., Brit. J. Pharmacol., 24, 759 (1965).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Da Prada, M., and Pletscher, A., Experientia, 22, 465 (1966).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Jurio, A. V., Sharman, D. F., and Trajkov, T., Brit. J. Pharmacol., 26, 385 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Carlsson, C., Denker, S. J., Grimby, G., and Haggendal, J., Scand. J. Clin. Lab. Invest., 17, suppl. 86, 134 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Levitt, M., Spector, S., Sjoerdsma, A., and Udenfriend, S., J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 148, 1 (1965).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Nagatsu, T., Levitt, M., and Udenfriend, S., J. Biol. Chem., 239, 2910 (1964).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Waalkes, T. P., and Udenfriend, S., J. Lab. Clin. Med., 50, 733 (1957).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Ferri, S., Boll. Ital. Biol. Sper., 40, 1693 (1964).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Gordon, M. W., Fed. Proc., 24, 301 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Yuwiler, A., Geller, E., Schapiro, S., and Seater, G. G., Biochem. Pharmacol., 14, 621 (1965).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Shuster, L., and Hannam, R. V., J. Biol. Chem., 239, 3401 (1964).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Satanove, A., J. Amer. Med. Assoc., 191, 263 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Greiner, A. C., and Nicolson, G. A., Canad. Med. Assoc. J., 91, 627 (1964).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  16. Bernheimer, H., and Hornykiewicz, O., Arch. Exp. Path. Pharmak., 251, 135 (1965).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Research Department, F. Hoffmann-La Roche and Co., Ltd., Basle, Switzerland

    W. P. BURKARD, K. F. GEY & A. PLETSCHER

Authors
  1. W. P. BURKARD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. F. GEY
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. PLETSCHER
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

BURKARD, W., GEY, K. & PLETSCHER, A. Activation of Tyrosine Hydroxylation in Rat Brain in vivo by Chlorpromazine. Nature 213, 732–733 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1038/213732a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/213732a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation