Nature 194, 387 - 389 (28 April 1962); doi:10.1038/194387b0

Interference of Chlorpromazine with the Metabolism of Aromatic Amino-acids in Rat Brain

K. F. GEY & A. PLETSCHER

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

CHLORPROMAZINE (2-chloro-10-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-phenothiazine, 'Largactil^R') and chlorprothixene (2-chloro-9-(-dimethylamino-propyliden)-thioxanthene, 'Taractan^R') counteract the changes in the monoamine content of rat brain induced by monoamine oxidase inhibitors, reserpine and 5-hydroxytryptophan¹. It has been suggested that this might be due to reduction of the permeability of storage organelles for aromatic monoamines¹. However, investigations have not yet been undertaken to determine whether chlorpromazine interferes also with the penetration of monoamine precursors (for example, aromatic amino-acids) into the brain. In this communication we will show that chlorpromazine interferes with the metabolism of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (dopa) and of 5-hydroxytryptophan in rat brain.

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