DOPA was measured in the anterior pituitary and hypothalamic-hypophysial portal 
blood after treatment with NSD-1015, a DOPA decarboxylase inhibitor. NSD-1015 
caused DOPA to accumulate in the anterior pituitary of mice and rats, and 
increased DOPA in the hypothalamic-hypophysial portal blood of rat. Serum 
prolactin was also increased. Interruption of the anterior pituitary blood 
supply from the hypothalamic-hypophysial system by cannulation of the entire 
pituitary stalk eliminated the NSD-1015-induced DOPA accumulation in the rat 
pituitary. We conclude that DOPA can be taken into the anterior pituitary from 
the portal blood of NSD-1015-treated rodents and that the anterior pituitary 
lacks tyrosine hydroxylase activity in both mice and rats.