3H-metaraminol releasing action of mescaline from rat hypothalamus in vitro
European Journal of Pharmacology November 15, 1977 Om D. Gulati, Nandkumar S. Shah
Mescaline releases a radioactive tracer (3H-metaraminol) from isolated rat hypothalamus tissue in a dose-dependent manner, acting through two distinct mechanisms: a calcium-independent pathway similar to tyramine and a calcium-dependent pathway sensitive to lidocaine. Cocaine does not affect this release, and removing calcium from the medium does not block mescaline's effect, whereas high potassium-induced release requires calcium. Tetrodotoxin and lidocaine partially block mescaline's action but fully block potassium-induced release. Prior exposure to tyramine reduces mescaline's releasing effect. Mescaline itself is poorly retained by storage particles in the tissue.