Trypanocidal effects of catecholamines and indolealkylamines

Catecholamines, indolealkylamines, and their anologues are oxidized at neutral or alkaline pH, producing hydrogen peroxide, quinones and free radicals. Several of these amines were tested for trypanocidal effects on Trypanosoma brucei, which posses a well-documented vulnerability to such oxidation products. Dopamine, 5-hydroxydopamine (5-OHDA), 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine (5,6-DHT) and 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) killed te parasites in vitro, using a fibroblast feeder layer cell culture system, in four to 48 hours at concentrations of 10-5-10-7M. The 5-OHDA, 6-OHDA, 5,6-DHT and 5,7-DHT were also effective in vivo when tested by intraperitoneal injection of infected mice.