Prolactin secretion in man: a useful tool to evaluate the activity of drugs on central 5-hydroxytryptaminergic neurones. Studies with fenfluramine.
Acute oral administration of various doses of fenfluramine, a 5-HT releaser, induced a dose-related increase of PRL secretion in nine healthy volunteers. Fenfluramine reached the maximum effect on PRL secretion at 4 h after its administration. This effect was already significant at 2 h and lasted till 8 h. Metergoline, a 5-HT receptor blocker, when administered alone, decreased serum PRL levels in six healthy subjects. The pretreatment with this drug significantly antagonized the PRL-releasing action of fenfluramine (60 mg) suggesting that the effect of fenfluramine on PRL release may be mediated through a 5-HT mechanism in the brain. These findings suggest the possibility that serum PRL levels in humans may represent a useful tool to evaluate, in vivo, the activity of drugs possessing putative 5-hydroxytryptaminergic properties.
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005277:Fenfluramine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008711:Metergoline / Q000494:pharmacology; D011388:Prolactin / Q000378:metabolism*; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects*
D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D008711:Metergoline; D005277:Fenfluramine; D011388:Prolactin