title: Urinary excretion of bioactive amines and their metabolites in psychiatric patients receiving phenelzine.
abstract: Phenelzine [2-phenylethylhydrazine] (PLZ), a potent inhibitor of monoamine oxidase (MAO)-A and -B, is used widely in psychiatry. We have studied the effects of PLZ administration on urinary excretion of several bioactive amines and their metabolites in psychiatric patients. Urine samples (24-hour) were collected prior to treatment and again at 2 and 4 weeks of treatment with PLZ (30-90 mg daily in divided doses). Amines and metabolites analyzed included 2-phenylethylamine (PEA), m- and p-tyramine (m- and p-TA), phenylacetic acid (PAA), m- and p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (m- and p-OH-PAA), tryptamine (T), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), normetanephrine (NME), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), 3-methoxytyramine (3-MT), and homovanillic acid (HVA). Levels of PEA, p-TA, 5-HT, and T were elevated during treatment with PLZ, but no significant changes in urinary excretion of the acid metabolites PAA, p-OH-PAA, and 5-HIAA were observed. Urinary levels of the noradrenaline metabolites NME and MHPG were increased and decreased, respectively; a similar pattern was observed with the dopamine metabolites 3-MT and HVA. There was an elevation in levels of m-TA and a decrease in its acid metabolite m-OH-PAA during the treatment with PLZ.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: McKenna
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Coutts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001679:Biogenic Amines / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000652:urine; D008875:Middle Aged; D010624:Phenelzine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001679:Biogenic Amines; D010624:Phenelzine