Ferreira et al., "Oxidation process of adrenaline in freshly isolated rat cardiomyocytes: formation of
adrenochrome, quinoproteins, and GSH adduct," Chemical Research in Toxicology, vol.
If we could decrease the formation of
adrenochrome, we would have a treatment for schizophrenia.
In the early 1950s it was shown that
adrenochrome - something like a hybrid of adrenaline and mescaline - could produce symptoms identical with those of schizophrenia.
However, because oxidation of dobutamine to
adrenochrome is rapid (complete within 5 min) under the Boehringer Mannheim reagent conditions, it is clear that reaction with 4-aminophenazone is not required for dobutamine to interfere in peroxidase-based tests.
Hoffer hypothesized that ascorbic acid's antioxidant activity also prevented the conversion of adrenaline to
adrenochrome. Experimentation revealed that many schizophrenics have a much higher need for ascorbic acid than the general population.
Post-operatively animal was given Sreptopenicillin 5.0gms intramuscularly and Meloxicam @ 0.5mg/kg body weight subcutaneously along with systemic haemostatic
Adrenochrome 5.0 ml intramuscularly for 7 days.
The SOD-1 activity measurement was based on the inhibition of adrenaline oxidation to
adrenochrome in alkaline environment, which induced a change in the absorbance at 480 nm.
The reaction was initiated by the addition of epinephrine (0.025 M) and the inhibition of autocatalytic
adrenochrome formation rate was measured.
Unlike the dopamine hypothesis, the
adrenochrome hypothesis accounts for many biochemical patterns common among schizophrenic patients.
The assay procedure involves inhibition of epinephrine autoxidation in alkaline medium (pH 10.2) to
adrenochrome, in the presence of this enzyme.
I suggest that a bipolar patient who never has perceptual changes even in the manic phase differs from a schizophrenic in the oxidation of adrenalin to
adrenochrome. If there is excess adrenalin, this may be a causal factor for the manic state if the adrenalin is not converted into
adrenochrome.
Notably, excessive level of circulating catecholamines (and consequent saturation of the monoaminooxidase and catechol-o-methyl transferase systems) may cause the increased formation of
adrenochrome (obtained by oxidation of adrenaline) [40, 52] of 5,6-dihydroxy-1-methylindole and of
adrenochrome alkaline rearrangement product adrenolutin.
