Abstract
There is a significant increase in the tryptamine content of guinea pig tissues following administration of L-tryptophan alone and a much larger increase following the administration of the monoamine oxidase inhibitor, iproniazid. However, the increase in tissue tryptamine concentration is greatest when L-tryptophan is administered following pretreatment with iproniazid. The effects of L-tryptophan-iproniazid treatment on the tissue tryptamine levels of several other animal species were found to be comparable to those observed in the guinea pig. The increased tissue levels and excretion of tryptamine following the administration of iproniazid are evidence that there is probably a high turnover of tryptamine normally occurring in the body. The significance of these findings in relation to the mechanism of action of monoamine oxidase inhibitors is discussed.
Footnotes
- Received June 15, 1959.
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