(αS)-erythro-α-Methylepinephrine: Preparation and Stereoselective Binding to Adrenergic Receptors in Rat Forebrain

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jm00142a027

The enantiomers of a number of catecholamines, including (αS)- and (αR)-erythro-α-methylepinephrine, were evaluated for their capacity to compete for binding sites in rat forebrain homogenates with <(3)H>prazosin, a ligand which selectively binds to adrenergic receptors of the α₁ subtype. (αR)-erythro-α-Methylepinephrine is devoid of apparent biological activity, but the activity of the αS isomer is substantial.The latter is less active than the endogeneous catecholamines, (R)-norepinephrine and (R)-epinephrine, but the stereospecific competition for <(3)H>prazosin binding sites by the catecholamine isomers with the βR configuration is additional evidence that (αS)-erythro-α-methylepinephrine may be a biologically active metabolite of L-α-methyl-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine.