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Effect of Cocaine on the Disposition of Noradrenaline labelled with Tritium

Nature volume 187, pages 604–605 (1960)Cite this article

Abstract

COCAINE potentiates the responses of sympathetically innervated organs to adrenaline, noradrenaline and sympathetic nerve stimulation, and several explanations have been offered for this. Cannon and Rosenblueth1 suggested that cocaine might act by preventing the destruction of injected adrenaline, or of transmitter substance released from adrenergic nerves, and Torda2 and Trendelenburg3 obtained evidence in support of this hypothesis. Macmillan4 suggested that cocaine might prevent the uptake of catecholamines into tissue stores, and block their release from these stores, but his evidence was only indirect.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. L. G. WHITBY

    Present address: Biochemistry Department, University of Cambridge, England

  2. L. G. WHITBY: Fellow of the Rockefeller Foundation

  3. G. HERTTING: Visiting scientist.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Clinical Science, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland

    L. G. WHITBY, G. HERTTING & J. AXELROD

Authors
  1. L. G. WHITBY
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  2. G. HERTTING
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  3. J. AXELROD
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WHITBY, L., HERTTING, G. & AXELROD, J. Effect of Cocaine on the Disposition of Noradrenaline labelled with Tritium. Nature 187, 604–605 (1960). https://doi.org/10.1038/187604a0

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