Norepinephrine content of various rat organs after chronic administration of desmethylimipramine.

The effect of chronic oral administration of desmethylimipramine (DMI) on the norepinephrine (NE) content of various organs was examined in rats. The present results show that in contrast to its effect on the brain, where it lowered the NE concentration, chronically administered DMI either did not change (vas deferens) or tended to increase (heart and spleen) the NE concentrations in the examined peripheral organs. The effect of chronic DMI administration on the brain seems to be specific since this was the only studied organ in which a decreased NE concentration was observed.