[Method of determining the intregral activity of catechol-O-methyltransferase in the human body in vivo].

A method is developed for estimation of the catecholamine-O-methyl transferase activity in human organism by excretion with urine of unmetabolized isadrine (N-isopropyl noreadrenaline) after loading. Excretion of isadrine was increased both after administration of apomorphine, which is one of the inhibitors of the enzyme catecholamine-O-methyl transferase, and in cases of liver tissue pathology. It is known that the maximal activity of catecholamine-O-methyl transferase is the highest in liver tissue. Imipramine (an inhibitor of uptake of catecholamine) did not inhibit the activity of cafecholamine-O-methyl transferase as estimated by the present method.