Biomaterial Database

Effect of benserazide on the levels of pineal 5-hydroxytryptamine, melatonin synthesising enzymes and serum melatonin. 1982

A K Ho, and J A Smith

The effect of benserazide, an aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase inhibitor, has been investigated on pineal 5-hydroxytryptamine content, melatonin synthesising enzyme activities and serum melatonin concn. Increasing doses of benserazide caused increasing reductions in the pineal content of 5-hydroxytryptamine. Dark phase serum melatonin concns were also greatly reduced. The drug abolished the diurnal rhythm of hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase by increasing the light period activities and decreasing the night levels of this enzyme. Pineal N-acetyltransferase was unaffected. It is concluded that benserazide probably inhibits melatonin synthesis by preventing the formation of the substrate, 5-hydroxytryptamine.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008027	Light	That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared range.	Light, Visible,Photoradiation,Radiation, Visible,Visible Radiation,Photoradiations,Radiations, Visible,Visible Light,Visible Radiations
D008297	Male		Males
D008550	Melatonin	A biogenic amine that is found in animals and plants. In mammals, melatonin is produced by the PINEAL GLAND. Its secretion increases in darkness and decreases during exposure to light. Melatonin is implicated in the regulation of SLEEP, mood, and REPRODUCTION. Melatonin is also an effective antioxidant.
D010870	Pineal Gland	A light-sensitive neuroendocrine organ attached to the roof of the THIRD VENTRICLE of the brain. The pineal gland secretes MELATONIN, other BIOGENIC AMINES and NEUROPEPTIDES.	Epiphysis Cerebri,Pineal Body,Corpus Pineale,Gland, Pineal,Pineal Bodies,Pineal Glands
D011919	Rats, Inbred Strains	Genetically identical individuals developed from brother and sister matings which have been carried out for twenty or more generations or by parent x offspring matings carried out with certain restrictions. This also includes animals with a long history of closed colony breeding.	August Rats,Inbred Rat Strains,Inbred Strain of Rat,Inbred Strain of Rats,Inbred Strains of Rats,Rat, Inbred Strain,August Rat,Inbred Rat Strain,Inbred Strain Rat,Inbred Strain Rats,Inbred Strains Rat,Inbred Strains Rats,Rat Inbred Strain,Rat Inbred Strains,Rat Strain, Inbred,Rat Strains, Inbred,Rat, August,Rat, Inbred Strains,Rats Inbred Strain,Rats Inbred Strains,Rats, August,Rats, Inbred Strain,Strain Rat, Inbred,Strain Rats, Inbred,Strain, Inbred Rat,Strains, Inbred Rat
D002940	Circadian Rhythm	The regular recurrence, in cycles of about 24 hours, of biological processes or activities, such as sensitivity to drugs or environmental and physiological stimuli.	Diurnal Rhythm,Nyctohemeral Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythm,Nycthemeral Rhythm,Circadian Rhythms,Diurnal Rhythms,Nycthemeral Rhythms,Nyctohemeral Rhythms,Rhythm, Circadian,Rhythm, Diurnal,Rhythm, Nycthemeral,Rhythm, Nyctohemeral,Rhythm, Twenty-Four Hour,Rhythms, Circadian,Rhythms, Diurnal,Rhythms, Nycthemeral,Rhythms, Nyctohemeral,Rhythms, Twenty-Four Hour,Twenty Four Hour Rhythm,Twenty-Four Hour Rhythms
D006834	Hydrazines	Substituted derivatives of hydrazine (formula H2N-NH2).	Hydrazide
D000121	Acetylserotonin O-Methyltransferase	An enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine to N-acetylserotonin to form N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine (MELATONIN).	Hydroxyindole O-Methyltransferase,Acetylserotonin Methyltransferase,HIOMT,Oxyindol-O-Methyltransferase,Acetylserotonin O Methyltransferase,Hydroxyindole O Methyltransferase,Methyltransferase, Acetylserotonin,O-Methyltransferase, Acetylserotonin,O-Methyltransferase, Hydroxyindole,Oxyindol O Methyltransferase
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001191	Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase	An enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of acetyl groups from ACETYL-COA to arylamines. It can also catalyze acetyl transfer between arylamines without COENZYME A and has a wide specificity for aromatic amines, including SEROTONIN. However, arylamine N-acetyltransferase should not be confused with the enzyme ARYLALKYLAMINE N-ACETYLTRANSFERASE which is also referred to as SEROTONIN ACETYLTRANSFERASE.	Arylamine Acetylases,Arylamine Acetyltransferases,Acetyl-CoA Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase,Arylamine Acetylase,Acetyl CoA Arylamine N Acetyltransferase,Acetylase, Arylamine,Acetylases, Arylamine,Acetyltransferases, Arylamine,Arylamine N Acetyltransferase,Arylamine N-Acetyltransferase, Acetyl-CoA,N-Acetyltransferase, Acetyl-CoA Arylamine,N-Acetyltransferase, Arylamine