Effects of methylene blue on the uptake, release and metabolism of noradrenaline in mesenteric arterial vessels.

Methylene blue (3, 10 and 30 microM) increased the spontaneous outflow of endogenous dopamine and noradrenaline from sympathetic nerves supplying the dog mesenteric artery and drastically reduced the formation of endogenous dihydroxyphenylglycol (DOPEG). In addition, it decreased the accumulation of [3H]noradrenaline in the tissue, reduced the formation of [3H]DOPEG and [3H]normetanephrine, without altering the formation of [3H]dihydroxymandelic acid. In tissue homogenates of the same blood vessel, methylene blue 30 and 100 microM produced a significant reduction in the deamination of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), beta-phenylethylamine (beta-PEA) and tyramine. Methylene blue increased the accumulation of [3H]isoprenaline in the tissue, and markedly reduced the formation of [3H]O-methylisoprenaline ([3H]OMI). These results show that methylene blue alters the storage and disposition of the adrenergic transmitter.