PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDIES ON dl--PHENYL-n-PROPYLMETHYL-AMINE, A VOLATILE AMINE

¹ Department of Pharmacology, Research Laboratories of The Wm. S. Merrell Company, Cincinnati, Ohio

A series of aryl-ethyl-, aryl-propyl-, and aryl-butylamines were synthesized and tested in a preliminary manner in an attempt to find a volatile amine which would possess a good vasoconstrictor action, elicit a minimum degree of central stimulation and possess relatively low toxicity. Of this series dl--phenyl-n-propylmethylamine, a volatile amine, appeared the most promising in respect to toxicity and pressor action.

The toxicity of this compound is of the same order as l-ephedrine and about one-half that of amphetamine.

The effect on the cardiovascular system and on the bronchioles is very similar both quantitatively and qualitatively to that elicited by amphetamine. This compound produces very little if any central stimulation in the experimental animal.

The relation of the pharmacological action of dl--phenyl-n-propylmethylamine to its chemical structure has been discussed.

Results of studies on a series of compounds indicate that a compound having the skeleton of phenylethylamine with a side chain on the carbon other than an OH group when converted to a methylated secondary amine does not have its pressor action decreased but does have the toxicity reduced.