Differences in some behavioural effects of deprenyl and amphetamine enantiomers in rats.

Effects of deprenyl and amphetamine enantiomers on different behavioural patterns were compared. Whereas (+)-amphetamine in doses of 1-3 mg/kg SC, (-)-amphetamine, and (+)-deprenyl in doses of 5-20 mg/kg SC increased the locomotor activity and the time the animals displayed stereotyped head movement, enhanced the acquisition of conditioned avoidance responses, and developed positive place preference conditioning, (-)-deprenyl, even in as high a dose as 20 mg/kg SC, failed to show any amphetamine-type behavioural effect. The results provide further proof why (-)-deprenyl, in contrast to other members of the amphetamine family, can be considered as a safe drug.