The effects of coralyne, a protoberberine isoquinoline compound, on dopamine biosynthesis in PC12 cells were investigated. Coralyne decreased the dopamine content dose-dependently $(46.3%;inhibition;at;20;{mu}M;for;24 hr).$ Dopamine content was lowered at 6 hr and reached minimal level at 24 hr after exposure to coralyne at $20;{mu}M.$ The decreased dopamine level was maintained up to 48 hr and recovered to the control level at about 72 hr. Tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the catecholamine biosynthesis, was also inhibited at $20;{mu}M;of;coralyne$ by 16.1% relative to control. These results suggest that the inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase by coralyne with a single treatment might be partially contributed to the decrease in dopamine content in PC12 cells.