[Monoamine oxidase activity and amount of catecholamines in rat tissues with adrenalectomy and demedullation]

The activity of monoaminoxidase (MAO) and the amount of catecholamines (CA) were studied in the heart, brain and liver of adrenalectomized and demedullated rats. Adrenalectomy increased the MAO activity of the brain and heart homogenates but had no effect on that of the liver mitochondria. The level of liver mitochondria MAO does not change when rats were demedullated, in this case there is some reduction in the content of the so-called PO (substances with the affinities of CA chinoid oxidation product). Neither adrenalectomy nor demedullation affect the amount of CA of all the studied tissues.