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Prolactin secretion in man: a useful tool to evaluate the activity of drugs on central 5‐hydroxytryptaminergic neurones. Studies with fenfluramine.
Author(s) -
Quattrone A,
Tedeschi G,
Aguglia U,
Scopacasa F,
Direnzo GF,
Annunziato L
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
british journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.216
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1365-2125
pISSN - 0306-5251
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1983.tb02202.x
Subject(s) - fenfluramine , metergoline , prolactin , endocrinology , medicine , secretion , pharmacology , in vivo , mechanism of action , receptor , chemistry , 5 ht receptor , biology , serotonin , in vitro , hormone , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry
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.