Physiological characteristics of platelet serotonin in rats.

Physiological characteristics of platelet serotonin (5-HT) levels in rats of Wistar origin were investigated by use of a recently developed method. By comparison of populations of male and female rats (N = 281) similar unimodal frequency distributions, with a tendency to higher values in females (1.61 vs.

Metabolism of Tryptophan, Indole-3-acetic Acid, and Related Compounds in Parasitic Plants from the Genus Orobanche.

Metabolic reactions involving the aliphatic side chain of tryptophan were studied in the holoparasitic dicotyledonous plants Orobanche gracilis Sm., O. lutea Baumg.

The metabolic fate of 14C-labeled immunoadjuvant peptidoglycan monomer. II. In vitro studies.

Peptidoglycan monomer (GlcNAc-MurNAc-L-Ala-D-isoglutamine-meso-diaminopimelic acid-D-Ala-D-Ala), labeled with 14C both in the disaccharide and pentapeptide portions, was incubated with slices of mouse liver, kidney or spleen as well as with mouse and human blood, blood cells plasma and serum. Peptidoglycan monomer was isolated unchanged after incubations with mouse organs and blood cells. However, upon incubation with mouse or human blood, 10-50% of the peptidoglycan monomer underwent hydrolysis to the corresponding disaccharide and pentapeptide.

Preliminary investigations of the metabolism and pharmacological activity of beta-hydroxytryptamines in mammals.

beta-Hydroxytryptamine and beta-hydroxy-5-hydroxytryptamine were incubated with rat liver slices and oxidative deamination was established as the main route of metabolism: in both instances the corresponding indole-3-glycollic acids and indole-3-ethane diols were the major metabolites. However, the rates of deamination of beta-hydroxylated tryptamines, as measured manometrically, were found to be much slower than those of tryptamines nonhydroxylated in the side chain. The pharmacological activities of beta-hydroxylated tryptamines were tested in guinea-pigs on resistance of respiratory pathways, spontaneous respiration, electrocardiogram, blood pressure and isolated ileum, using tryptamine and 5-HT as reference substances.

The formation of tryptophol glucoside in the tryptamine metabolism of pea seedlings.

Tryptamine was converted by etiolated pea seedlings into IAA, tryptophol, and an appreciable amount of an unknown metabolite. This latter compound was characterised by TLC and electrophoresis and identified, by mass spectrometry and enzymatic cleavage, as tryptophol glycoside: indole-3-ethyl-β-D-glycopyranoside.

Indole-3-methanol-a metabolite of indole-3-acetic acid in pea seedlings.

Degradation of indole-3-acetic acid was investigated in etiolated pea shoots; the study was limited to indolic metabolites. The products formed were fractionated by column chromatography and identified by thin-layer chromatography and chemical methods. The pathway of indole-3-acetic acid degradation involving indole-3-aldehyde was found to be more significant than stated in literature, and indole-3-methanol was established as the major indolic metabolite.

5-HYDROXYTRYPTAMINE METABOLISM BY THE NUCLEAR FRACTION OF RAT-LIVER HOMOGENATE.

1. The metabolism of 5-hydroxy[1'-(14)C]tryptamine creatinine sulphate in the nuclear fraction of rat-liver homogenate was studied. In the incubation mixture five metabolites were found.