title: 5-Methoxytryptamine in rat hypothalamus and human CSF. A fact or artifact?
abstract: Using thin-layer chromatography fluorometry, gas chromatography mass spectrometry and field ionization mass spectrometry the findings of Green et al. regarding the identification of 5-methoxytryptamine in rat hypothalamus could not be confirmed. On derivatization using pentafluoropropionic anhydride, melatonin underwent partial transacylation to yield 5-methoxytryptamine as one of the by-products. We thus consider the finding of 5-methoxytryptamine in rat hypothalamus by mass fragmentography as an artifact forming from melatonin, which is normally present in rat hypothalamus.
mesh_terms: D008735:5-Methoxytryptamine / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D014363:Tryptamines / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014363:Tryptamines; D008735:5-Methoxytryptamine