title: Brain Histamine N-Methyltransferase As a Possible Target of Treatment for Methamphetamine Overdose.
abstract: Stereotypical behaviors induced by methamphetamine (METH) overdose are one of the overt symptoms of METH abuse, which can be easily assessed in animal models. Currently, there is no successful treatment for METH overdose. There is increasing evidence that elevated levels of brain histamine can attenuate METH-induced behavioral abnormalities, which might therefore constitute a novel therapeutic treatment for METH abuse and METH overdose. In mammals, histamine N-methyltransferase (HMT) is the sole enzyme responsible for degrading histamine in the brain. Metoprine, one of the most potent HMT inhibitors, can cross the blood-brain barrier and increase brain histamine levels by inhibiting HMT. Consequently, this compound can be a candidate for a prototype of drugs for the treatment of METH overdose.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kitanaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobue
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kitanaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA.
authors.forename: F Scott
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: New Mexico VA Healthcare System/BRINM, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
authors.forename: George R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Uhl
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan.
authors.forename: Motohiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takemura
keywords: Stereotyped behavior; brain histaminergic system; histamine N-methyltransferase; methamphetamine; metoprine; overdose