title: The acute and chronic effects of (+) and (-) oxaprotiline upon melatonin secretion in normal subjects.
abstract: Ten healthy male subjects were treated for three weeks with (+)oxaprotiline, a selective inhibitor of noradrenaline (NA) uptake and with (-)oxaprotiline which does not inhibit NA uptake. Plasma melatonin concentrations were measured throughout the night at 0, 1, 7 and 21 days and were higher during treatment with (+)oxaprotiline than with (-)oxaprotiline for the entire three weeks of treatment. Since NA stimulates the production and secretion of melatonin, these results are consistent with a sustained increase in noradrenergic activity within the pineal, during 21 days of treatment with an effective NA uptake inhibitor.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychiatry, London.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Palazidou
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Skene
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arendt
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Everitt
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Checkley
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008376:Maprotiline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008550:Melatonin / Q000097:blood*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000502:physiology; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic; D008376:Maprotiline; C027299:hydroxymaprotilin; D008550:Melatonin; D009638:Norepinephrine