1-Methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline, an Endogenous Neuroprotectant and MAO Inhibitor with Antidepressant-Like Properties in the Rat

Oxidative stress is a major contributing factor in a range of brain pathologies and in the etiology of depression. 1-Methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (1MeTIQ) is an endogenous substance which is present in the mammalian brain and exhibits neuroprotective, and monoamine oxidase (MAO)-inhibiting properties. In the present study, in order to investigate the potential role of 1MeTIQ as an antidepressant, we tested antidepressant-like effects of 1MeTIQ in comparison with desipramine (a classic antidepressant) in the forced swimming test (FST), and using HPLC methodology, we measured the concentrations of monoamines (dopamine, noradrenaline, serotonin) and the rate of their metabolism. 1MeTIQ given alone as well as in combination with desipramine produced an antidepressant-like effect and decreased the immobility time in the FST. Neurochemical data have shown that 1MeTIQ like desipramine, activated the noradrenergic system. However, the mechanism of action of 1MeTIQ is broader than the actions of desipramine, and 1MeTIQ inhibits the MAO-dependent oxidation of dopamine and serotonin in all investigated structures. We can conclude that 1MeTIQ exhibits antidepressant-like activity in the FST in the rat. The mechanism of its antidepressant action differs from desipramine and seems to be mostly associated with the inhibition of the catabolism of monoamines and their increased concentrations in the brain. 1MeTIQ seems to be very beneficial from the clinical point of view as a reversible MAO inhibitor with a significant antidepressant effects.