Taurine has been shown to exert many biological effects. Among them, t
he ability of this amino acid to induce a reduction of arterial blood
pressure, when administered intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) to mamm
als, has been established since a long time ago. To gain further infor
mation on the structure-activity requirements for taurine's hypotensiv
e effect, the synthesis of 2-methyltaurine (2-aminopropanesulphonic ac
id) and the asymmetric synthesis of its enantiomers were performed; th
e enantiomeric purity of (R)- and (S)-2-methyltaurine was assayed by d
ifferential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and HPLC, The findings here rep
orted show that the hypotensive effect elicited by the i.c.v, administ
ration of racemate is mainly due to the (S)-enantiomer. The specificit
y of this effect was proved by the ability of the taurine antagonist T
AG (6-aminomethyl-4H-3-methyl-1,2,4-benzothiadiazine 1,1-dioxide) to p
revent it. (C) 1996 The Italian Pharmacological Society