Mechanism of Action: Reserpine works by depleting the body's stores of catecholamines, which are neurotransmitters like norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. This depletion occurs through the following steps: Inhibition of Vesicular Monoamine Transporter (VMAT): Reserpine inhibits the VMAT, a protein responsible for transporting catecholamines from the cytoplasm into storage vesicles within neurons and other cells like platelets. Catecholamine Depletion: As a result of VMAT inhibition, catecholamines cannot be stored in vesicles. They remain in the cytoplasm, where they are metabolized by monoamine oxidase (MAO) enzymes. Reduced Release of Catecholamines: With depleted stores of catecholamines in vesicles, there is a significant reduction in the amount of these neurotransmitters released into the synaptic cleft upon nerve stimulation.

pharmaceutical chemistry 2020(he 1)