Effect of 3-(p-trifluoromethylphenoxy). N. N. methyl-3-phenylpropylamine on the depletion of brain serotonin by 4-chloroamphetamine.

3-(p-Trifluoromethylphenoxy)-N-methyl-3-phenylpropylamine (Lilly 110140), when injected into rats at i.p. doses of 1 to 10 mg/kg, prevented the lowering of brain serotonin by 4-chloroamphetamine. The duration of 110140 action was very long, significant antagonism of 4-chloroamphetamine action being apparent still at 48 hours after a single dose of 10 mg/kg of 110140. The N,N-dimethyl tertiary amine derivative was as effective as 110140 itself in antagonizing serotonin depletion by 4-chloroamphetamine, but other structurally related compounds has less activity or were inactive. Likewise, six tricyclic antidepressant drugs injected at 10 mg/kg i.p. did not antagonize the action of 4-chloroamphetamine. When injected into rats whose brain serotonin levels had already been depleted by 3-hour pretreatment with 4-chloroamphetamine, 110140 terminated the action of 4-chloroamphetamine and permitted serotonin levels to return to normal. Lilly 110140 did not antagonize the depletion of brain serotonin or norepinephrine by reserpine, which implies that reserpine does not require the membrane pump for entry into the neuron. The depletion of brain serotonin, but not norepinephrine, by alpha-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-methylphenethylamine (H75/12) was blocked by 110140. In contrast to chlorimipramine, 110140 did not antagonize the depletion of norepinephrine levels in heart and spleen by 6-hydroxydopamine. The data suggest that 110140 is a specific drug for inhibiting uptake into serotoninergic neurons in the brain.