Potency, comparative central, peripheral

Table 3 lists the relative potencies (comparing central with peripheral effects) of many of these derivatives. Note that BZ and EA 3443 exhibit extensive central effects for a long period the studies at Edgewood emphasized these chemicals, as does this report. 

The tricyclic antidejn essant drugs imipramine and amitriptyline and their derivatives are the most potent inhibitors known of the NA-uptake process of central and peripheral NA-neurons. No other biochemical effect of these drugs which is remotely comparable in potency to this has been discovered. It is tempting to suppose, therefore, that the behavioural actions of these drugs are related to an inhibition of NA uptake. Such an inhibition would be expected to potentiate the actions of NA after its release at central noradrenergic synapses, and would imply that depression is associated in some way with a deficiency or hypoactivity of noradrenergic neurons. Unfortunately, however, this remains still an attractive hypothesis with little experimental support... 

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