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| Other names | CP-10188; Fenclonina; Fencloninum; NSC-77370; Parachlorophenylalanine[1] |
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| ECHA InfoCard | 100.028.229 |
| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C9H10ClNO2 |
| Molar mass | 199.63 g·mol−1 |
| 3D model (JSmol) | |
| Density | 1.336 g/cm3 |
| Melting point | 240 °C (464 °F) |
| Boiling point | 339.5 °C (643.1 °F) |
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Fenclonine, also known aspara-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA), acts as a selective and irreversible inhibitor oftryptophan hydroxylase, which is a rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis ofserotonin.[2]
It has been used experimentally to treatcarcinoid syndrome, but the side effects, mostly hypersensitivity reactions and psychiatric disturbances, have prevented development for this use.[3]
The effects of serotonin depletion from fenclonine are so drastic that serotonin cannot even be detectedimmunohistochemically within the first day after administration of a control dose. Tryptophan hydroxylase activity can be detected neither in cell bodies or nerve terminals. After one week 10% of control values (the baseline extrapolated for the study) had replenished in theraphe nucleus, and after two weeks from initial treatment as much was again detected in the hypothalamus region.AromaticL-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) levels were at no time affected.[4]
It is used in scientific research in humans[5] and animals[2] to investigate the effects of serotonin depletion.