Posted by Mistermindmasta on January 16, 2006, at 23:30:07
In reply to Re: Pycnogenol..mechanism for ADD depression? » Mistermindmasta, posted by blueberry on January 16, 2006, at 19:33:21
> Pycnogenol does feel mildly noradrenergic and dopaminergic. Definitely not serotonergic.
>
> Question though, I am not up to speed on this, what is a COMT inhibitor? I've heard it mentioned a few other times, but I don't know what COMT is or what a COMT inhibitor does.
> ???
>If I remember corrently, norepinephrine is removed from the synapse in one of two ways - by the reuptake pump or it is degraded by Catechol-O-Methyl-Transferase (COMT). Inhibiting COMT therefore decreases the amount of norepinephrine in the synapse. To be honest, I don't know it's effects on dopamine - COMT might also break down dopamine but i cant remember.
Green tea contains a compound that also inhibits COMT called ECGC (spelling?). It's actually the major antioxidant in green tea. Green tea leads to increased energy expenditure aside from it's caffeine content, and that's due to ECGC.
The only problem with my responses is that I don't know if pycnogenol actually has any effects on COMT, haha. I should check somewhere and get back to you. Peace.
poster:Mistermindmasta
thread:599300
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20051208/msgs/599878.html