Effect of the alkaloid (-)-cathinone on the release of radioactivity from rat striatal tissue prelabelled with 3H-serotonin.
The alkaloid (-)-cathinone, which accounts for the stimulating properties of khat leaves, has a pharmacological profile closely resembling that of (+)-amphetamine. Since amphetamine is known to induce release at CNS serotonin storage sites, experiments were performed to determine whether (-)-cathinone also displays this aspect of amphetamine action. When the effects of (-)-cathinone and (+)-amphetamine on the release of radioactivity from rat striatal tissue prelabelled with 3H-serotonin were compared, it was found that (-)-cathinone had a releasing effect similar to that of (+)-amphetamine, although it was only one third as potent. Thus, the khat alkaloid (-)-cathinone appears to share an important effect of (+)-amphetamine on serotoninergic neurotransmission.
D000470:Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051381:Rats; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*
D000470:Alkaloids; D012701:Serotonin; C023665:cathinone; D003913:Dextroamphetamine