Potential oxidative pathways of brain catecholamines.

The possibility that catecholamines can be oxidized via aberrant pathways in vivo is open to question, but in vitro oxidation via aerobic manipulations is established. Assuming oxidation does occur, we have examined quantitatively the fast chemical reactions of the initial oxidation products, the o-quinones. The nature and rates of these reactions were studies under the conditions simulating closely those which presumably exist in mammalian brain. The results are in close accord with existing literature and especially support oxidation pathways recently reported in [3H]-norepinephrine binding to particulate cell fractions.