title: Inhibition of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase and tyrosine aminotransferase by the monoamine oxidase inhibitor phenelzine.
abstract: The concentration of p-tyramine in the rat striatum was increased significantly by intraperitoneal injection of phenelzine (5 or 100 mg/kg). Unlike other monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, phenelzine had no effect on p-tyramine levels in the first 1-2 h following injection. The high dose of phenelzine increased the p-tyramine levels much more than the low dose. In addition, the high dose of phenelzine increased striatal p-tyrosine levels significantly 12 h after injection. Further studies showed that phenelzine inhibited the tyrosine aminotransferase activity of rat liver homogenates; the IC50 was 50 microM. Phenelzine also inhibited the aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase activity of rat brain homogenate with an IC50 of 25 microM. Following intraperitoneal injection of 100 mg/kg phenelzine, the initial concentration of phenelzine in the striatum appears to be high enough to inhibit aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase. It is suggested that the multiple enzyme inhibition caused by administration of high doses of phenelzine accounts for its unusual effects on striatal p-tyramine levels compared with other MAO inhibitors, i.e., its initial lack of effect on p-tyramine levels followed later by very large increases in p-tyramine levels.
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Dyck
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Dewar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D065105:Aromatic Amino Acid Decarboxylase Inhibitors; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010624:Phenelzine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014439:Tyramine / Q000378:metabolism; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism; D014444:Tyrosine Transaminase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D065105:Aromatic Amino Acid Decarboxylase Inhibitors; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D014443:Tyrosine; D014444:Tyrosine Transaminase; D010624:Phenelzine; D014439:Tyramine