Studies on the capacity of mazindol and dita to act as uptake inhibitors or releasing agents for 3H-biogenic amines in rat brain tissue slices.

The effects of the anorexic and stimulant agents mazindol and dita on 3H-biogenic amine uptake and release were determined. Mazindol and dita were very potent inhibitors of 3H-norepinephrine uptake into rat brain occipital cortex slices with ED50 values (point of 50% inhibition of uptake) of 1.5 X 10(-9) M and 3.2 X 10(-9) M, respectively. Mazindol (ED50 of 2.8 X 10(-7) M) and dita (ED50 value of 8.5 X 10(-7) M) were also potent inhibitors of 3H-dopamine uptake into rat neostriatal slices and of 3H-serotonin uptake into whole brain slices (ED50 values of 5.5 X 10(-7) M and 5.1 X 10(-7) M for mazindol and dita respectively). Both compounds proved however to be extremely weak releasing agents for the 3H-biogenic amines in the respective brain areas. The effects of mazindol and dita on uptake may help to explain some of their pharmacological properties.