Effect of reserpine on catecholamine contents and met-enkephalin and beta-endorphin levels in the hypothalamus and the pituitary.

1. The effects of reserpine treatment on the contents of catecholamines and opioid peptides have been studied in the rat hypothalamus and pituitary. 2. Hypothalamic and pituitary catecholamines were drastically depleted following acute reserpine treatment. 3. Reserpine treatment also resulted in a significant decrease in immunoactive met-enkephalin content in both the hypothalamus (25%) and the anterior lobe (50%), but not in the neurointermediate lobe of the pituitary. 4. No changes were observed in immunoactive beta-endorphin levels. 5. These findings suggest that the met-enkephalin contents in the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary may be under catecholaminergic control. 6. The lack of effect of acute reserpine treatment on immunoactive beta-endorphin contents might be due to the opposing effects of adrenergic and dopaminergic mechanisms.