title: Effects of milnacipran and pindolol on extracellular noradrenaline and serotonin levels in guinea pig hypothalamus.
abstract: Milnacipran, a dual noradrenaline (NA) and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) uptake inhibitor, increased extracellular levels of NA and 5-HT in hypothalamus of freely moving guinea pigs as measured by microdialysis. The basal levels of both monoamines, which were tetrodotoxin sensitive, were increased in a dose-dependent manner and to a similar extent after the intraperitoneal administration of milnacipran (10 and 40 mg/ kg i.p.). Levels of the NA metabolite 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylglycol (MHPG) were decreased by milnacipran at 10 and 40 mg/kg i.p., whereas those of the 5-HT metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) showed no effect. Subcutaneous injection of 5-HT1A and beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist (-)-pindolol alone, at 10 mg/kg, had no effect on the extracellular levels of NA or 5-HT. The concomitant administration of (-)-pindolol (10 mg/kg s.c.) with milnacipran (10 mg/kg i.p.) increased severalfold the effect of milnacipran on the extracellular levels of NA and 5-HT. These results indicate that milnacipran, by blocking the uptake of NA and 5-HT, increases virtually equipotently the extracellular levels of NA and 5-HT, confirming previous in vitro studies. In addition, the antagonism of 5-HT1A autoreceptors by (-)-pindolol potentiates the action of milnacipran on both NA and 5-HT systems, without modifying the ratio of these activities.
authors.affiliation: Pierre Fabre Research Center, Castres, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moret
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Briley
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D003521:Cyclopropanes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000378:metabolism; D000078764:Milnacipran; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D010869:Pindolol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D000078764:Milnacipran; D009638:Norepinephrine; D010869:Pindolol; D012701:Serotonin; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors