Dopamine and norepinephrine concentrations in the human digestive tract following exogenous dopamine administration
Shibata, O.; Yorozuya, Y.; Nagatani, A.; Shimada, M.; Haseba, S.; Gotoh, Y.; Honda, Y.
Masui. Japanese Journal of Anesthesiology 35(12): 1830-1835
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-4892 PMID: 3560412 Document Number: 283480
A study was carried out on 60 patients from whom specimens of the digestive tract were obtained following exogenous administration of dopamine (DA), in order to determine the possible uptake of DA and synthesis of norepinephrine (NE) in the sympathetic nerves of the digestive tract. These 60 patients were divided into the dopamine-administered group (DA group) and dopamine-non-administered group (non-DA group). The DA and NE concentrations in the resected stomach, small intestine and colon were measured by high performance liquid chromatography, and we attempted to determine the location of the uptake of DA and synthesis of NE after exogenously administered DA. The DA concentrations in the mucosa of the resected stomach, small intestine and colon in the DA group were significantly higher than those in the non-DA group, but significant difference was not observed between the NE concentration in the DA group and that in the non-DA group. Therefore, the results suggest that exogenously administered DA at a rate of 2 .mu./kg/min is mainly taken up into the mucosa of the digestive tract but is not stored as NE in the sympathetic nerves.