title: Fenfluramine binds 5-hydroxytryptophan.
abstract: Fenfluramine, an anorexigenic drug, lowers serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels in brain, spinal fluid, and blood, and has been used as a treatment for autism. Fenfluramine's mode of action is unknown. We present evidence from chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy that fenfluramine selectively binds the serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid precursor, 5-hydroxytryptophan. The mode of binding may have general applications for the understanding of drug activity, receptor binding, and for the design of specific antagonists to aromatic compounds.
mesh_terms: D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D005277:Fenfluramine; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D012701:Serotonin; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014364:Tryptophan
chemical_list: D005277:Fenfluramine; D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D014364:Tryptophan; D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan