Spectrophotometric determination of levodopa, carbidopa and alpha-methyldopa

The dopamine derivatives participate in the regulation of a wide variety of physiological functions in human body and in medication life. A sensitive spectrophotometric method is developed for the determination of levodopa [LD], carbidopa [CD] and alpha methyldopa [MD]. It proposed on the bases of metal complex formation of these compounds with copper tetramine then coupling with 4-aminoantipyrine. The optimum conditions [pH, time, ratio and sequence of addition] are established. The method permits the determination of LD, CD and MD as a rectlinear relation in calibration curve over a concentration range 19.72 to 69.02, 13.79 to 63.34 and 31.24 to 98.94 micro g ml -1, respectively. The obtained data of SD [0.174 to 0.59], CV [0.68 to 1.16%] and correlation coefficient [0.995 to 0.999] reflect the reliability, reproducibility and accuracy of this procedure. The method is applicable to the assay of LD and MD in pharmaceutical drugs [Levocare and Aldomet respectively], and the results are in a good agreement with those obtained by the official method. The method was simple, rapid, reproducible and accurate to follow of medication of schizophrenic patient

Marcadores biologicos en Psiquiatria / Biological markers in Psychiatry

In order to determine wheter psycopathology is associated with charactheristic neurochemical changes of psychiatric patients, Noradrenergic; Dopaminergic and Serotoninergic urine compounds were quantified in 50 patients (32 females and 18 males) between 20 and 60 years old. They were classified in four groups, according to DSM-IV criteria; in MAJOR DEPRESSION (MD) 30 cases, OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISEASE (OCD) 9 cases, BIPOLAR DEPRESSION (BD)4 cases and SCHIZOPHRENIA (SZ) 7 cases. The following Amine metabolites were determined in 24 hours urine samples Phenylethilamine (PEA); 3-Metho-4-Hidroxy Phenilglycol (MHPG); 5-Hidroxy-indol acetic acid (5HIAA) Homovanilic acid (HVM); Bufotenine (BU); Ometil Bufotenine (OMBU) and 3-5 Metoxy-NN-Dymethyltryptamine (MNNDMT). The results showed a dicrease of Pea levels in 43 per cent of DM; 33 per cent of OCD; 25 per cent of BP and 42 per cent SZ. MOPEG levels were disminished in 53 per cent of DM; 66 per cent of OCD; 25 per cent of BP and 85 per cent of SZ. There was an increase of HVM levels in 10 per cent of DM; 11 per cent of OCD and 25 per cent of BP. There was a dicrease of 5-HIAA levels in 10 per cent of DM while it was increased in 33 per cent and 14 per cent of SZ, BU, OMBU and NNDMT were positive in 71 per cent of SZ; 46 per cent of DM; 55 per cent of OCD and 50 per cent of BP. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that PEA; MHPG; 5-HIAA and HVM compounds could be "State markers"of DM and HVM of BP and SZ patients. There is further evidence to support a close interrelationship between the three systems and the urinary excretion of methylates compounds specially in SZ and in DM, OCD and BP patients.

Estudio humoral en pacientes esquizofrénicos / Humoral determination among schizophrenic patients

Se presentan los resultados del estudio de los niveles de excreción urinaria de Dopamina, Noradrenalina y Adrenalina, así como la concentración y captura plaquetaria de Serotonina en un grupo de pacientes esquizofrénicos y uno de sujetos supuestamente sanos. Se realizaron análisis estadísticos mediante el test de comparación de medias T` (para muestras con dispersiones muy diferentes) y el test U de Mann Withey. Se encontró en los pacientes esquizofrénicos una disminución significativa de la excreción de Dopamina compatible con la acción por años de los neurolépticos sobre los receptores pre y possinápticos, así como un aumento marcado en la Serotonina plaquetaria y en su captura plaquetaria debido entre otros factores a la disminución encontrada en el recambio de Dopamina