Alpha-methylphenylalanine, a new inducer of chronic hyperphenylalaninemia in sucling rats

alpha-Methylphenylalanine reduces the phenylalanine hydroxylase activity of rat liver by 75 percent. Daily injections of this substance (plus phenylalanine) into rats from the 3rd to 15th day of age had no obvious toxic effects, and maintained a plasma concentration of phenylalanine comparable to that of phenylketonuric subjects.