Effect of fenfluramine on prolactin secretion in obese patients: evidence for serotoninergic regulation of prolactin in man.
The present investigation was carried out to study the effect of serotoninergic stimulation on prolactin (PRL) secretion in man. Fenfluramine (60 mg, orally), an anorexiant drug which under acute circumstances stimulates the serotoninergic system, was administered to eight obese patients. Compared with placebo, drug administration increased PRL significantly (P less than 0.05 at 180 and 300 min, P less than 0.01 at 240 min). No significant changes were observed after fenfluramine in blood pressure, plasma aldosterone (PA), plasma cortisol, plasma renin activity, serum electrolytes or growth hormone. Since it has been reported that dopaminergic blockade raises PA concentration, the lack of change in PA in obese patients treated with fenfluramine suggests that the observed increase in PRL induced by fenfluramine is likely to be mediated by serotoninergic stimulation.
D000328:Adult; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D005277:Fenfluramine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D011388:Prolactin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*
D005277:Fenfluramine; D012701:Serotonin; D000450:Aldosterone; D011388:Prolactin; D013006:Growth Hormone; D012083:Renin; D011188:Potassium; D006854:Hydrocortisone