PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - G E Martin AU - M Williams AU - D J Pettibone AU - G G Yarbrough AU - B V Clineschmidt AU - J H Jones TI - Pharmacologic profile of a novel potent direct-acting dopamine agonist, (+)-4-propyl-9-hydroxynaphthoxazine [(+)-PHNO]. DP - 1984 Sep 01 TA - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics PG - 569--576 VI - 230 IP - 3 4099 - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/230/3/569.short 4100 - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/230/3/569.full SO - J Pharmacol Exp Ther1984 Sep 01; 230 AB - The (+)-enantiomer of 1,2,3,4a,5,6-hexahydro-9-hydroxy-4-n-propyl-4H-naphth[1,2-b][ 1,4]-oxazine [(+)-PHNO] is demonstrated to be a potent and direct dopamine (DA) agonist in several in vivo and in vitro test procedures. In vitro (+)-PHNO inhibited binding of [3H]apomorphine (IC50 = 23 nM) or [3H]spiperone (IC50 = 55 nM) to rat striatal membranes. Because (+)-PHNO failed to stimulate adenylate cyclase in carp retina, it was classified as a D-2 agonist. ED50 values (shown in parentheses) derived in DA receptor-related in vivo tests were as follows: in mice, (+)-PHNO produced hypothermia (13 micrograms/kg i.p.) and postural asymmetry in the unilaterally caudectomized animal (4 micrograms/kg i.p.). In the rat, (+)-PHNO produced stereotypy (10 micrograms/kg i.p.) and contralateral turning in 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned animals (5 micrograms/kg i.p.) that lasted 1 to 3 hr. Whereas both of the latter effects were blocked by haloperidol, prior treatment with depletors of endogenous catecholamines, reserpine or alpha-methylparatyrosine failed to reduce (+)-PHNO-induced stereotypy. The naphthoxazine also produced emesis in beagles (0.05 micrograms/kg i.v.) that was blocked by L-646,462, a peripherally selective DA receptor antagonist. (+)-PHNO was well absorbed when given p.o., producing contralateral turning (10 micrograms/kg) with a ratio of p.o. to i.p. ED50 values of 2. This ratio was much lower than those derived for n-propylnorapomorphine (60) and apomorphine (54). At the DA autoreceptor, (+)-PHNO inhibited the accumulation of dOPA in the gamma-butyrolactone-treated rat (11 micrograms/kg i.p.).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)