ISSN:
1432-2072
Keywords:
Amphetamine
;
Sympathomimetics
;
Drug Tolerance
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract During chronic administration of 16–32 mg/kg i. p. of dl-amphetamine sulphate in rats tolerance to the drug has been found to develop with regard to hyperthermia, anorexia, increased urinary excretion or noradrenaline and adrenaline, but not to stereotype behaviour and increased motor activity. The hypothesis, that the accumulation of p-hydroxynorephedrine, a metabolite of amphetamine in this species, might be involved in the tolerance to amphetamine as a false transmitter in central and peripheral noradrenaline neurons was tested. Rats were pretreated with p-hydroxyamphetamine, 40 mg/kg i. p. 20 h before the injection of amphetamine, 20 mg/kg i.p. After pretreatment with p-hydroxyamphetamine, which is converted to p-hydroxynorephedrine in central and peripheral NA neurons, the effects of amphetamine on body temperature, and urinary excretion of noradrenaline were decreased, while the increased motor activity, the stereotype behaviour, the anorexia and the urinary adrenaline excretion were unaffected. It is concluded that p-hydroxynorephedrine might be involved in the tolerance to the peripheral but probably not to the central effects of amphetamine.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00403992
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