title: Psychotomimetic N-methylated tryptamines: formation in brain in vivo and in vitro.
abstract: The use of a sensitive enzymatic assay demonstrates that tryptamine occurs normally in rat brain. Intracisternal administration of [(14)C]tryptamine results in the formation of N-methyl-and dimethyltryptamine(a psychotomimetic compound)in the rat brain. An enzyme that converts tryptamine and N-methyl-tryptamine to N-methyl-and dimethyltryptamine was found to be present in rat and human brain. The N-methylation of tryptamine was inhibited by normally occurring compounds present in rat brain.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D002845:Chromatography; D002946:Cisterna Magna; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007267:Injections; D008715:Methionine / Q000378:metabolism; D008745:Methylation; D051381:Rats; D014363:Tryptamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D014363:Tryptamines; D008715:Methionine