The influence of adrenergic, dopaminergic, cholinergic and serotoninergic drugs on plasma prolactin levels in ovariectomized, estrogen-treated rats.

Levels of plasma prolactin were estimated in ovariectomized, estrogen-treated rats following the systemic administration of several neural blocking and stimulating drugs. Phenoxybenzamine, an alpha-adrenergic blocker, at high doses, increased plasma prolactin. Phenotlamine, another alpha-adrenergic blocker, and propranolol, a beta-adrenergic blocker, also increased prolactin but the responses were small and transient. Clonidine, an alpha-adrenergic stimulating drug, elevated prolactin levels whereas the beta-adrenergic stimulator isoproterenol had no effect. Dopaminergic blockade by pimozide increased levels of prolactin while stimulation of dopamine receptors by apomorphine decreased prolactin release. Atropine (a muscarinic chilinergic blocker), arecoline (a muscarinic stimulator) and nicotine (a nicotinic cholinergic stimulating drug) did not affect basal prolactin levels. Mecamylamine (a nicotinic blocker) produced a small transient elevation in plasma prolactin. Methiothepin, an alleged serotoninergic blocker, markedly increased prolactin secretion, as did serotonin. The data suggested the involvement of several neurotransmitters in the control of basal secretion of prolactin.