USE OF POTENTIATION OF THYROTROPHIN RELEASING HORMONE (TRH)‐INDUCED HYPERTHERMIA AS A TEST FOR SCREENING ANTIDEPRESSANTS WHICH ACTIVATE α‐ADRENOCEPTOR SYSTEMS

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Abstract
1 The minimal dose which significantly potentiates the hyperthermia induced by thyrotrophin releasing hormone (TRH, 40mg/kgi.p.) in mice has been established for tricyclic and other antidepressants (imipramine, amitriptyline, clomipramine, nortriptyline, maprotiline, nomifensine, viloxazine) including a specific inhibitor of noradrenaline (NA) uptake (nisoxetine) 2 The minimal effective dose in this test has been compared with the minimal dose of the same compounds antagonizing reserpine-induced hypothermia. The ratio of the two doses for each substance indicates that potentiation of TRH-induced hyperthermia is, in general, the more sensitive test 3 A correlation seems to exist between the α-adrenergic effect of antidepressants and the potentiation of TRH-induced hyperthermia. Those antidepressants which do not act on α-adrenergic systems (butriptyline, amineptine, trazodone, danitracen, fluoxetine) are inactive in this test 4 This property may be used to select antidepressants that activate α-adrenoceptor systems.