(S)-norepinephrine in the tissues of mice and rats given racemic erythro-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylserine (DOPS)☆

Abstract The administration of racemic erythro-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylserine (DOPS) to mice resulted in increased concentrations of chemically determined norepinephrine in the hearts and brains. However, radioactive norepinephrine in the brains, resulting from the administration of [2- 14 C]DOPA, was decreased after the administration of erythro-DOPS. The pressor response to tyramine was attenuated in rats which had received this amino acid. It is concluded that in vivo the βS:αS isomer of DOPS, present in the racemic-erythro mixture, yields unnatural (S)-norepinephrine which replaces part of the natural (R)-norepinephrine in central and peripheral adrenergic tissues.