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Enzymatic Formation of Psychotomimetic Metabolites from Normally Occurring Compounds

Julius Axelrod

Science August 4, 1961 DOI: 10.1126/science.134.3475.343 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Experimental study Peer reviewed
Population Rabbit lung
Topics Mescaline Psilocybin Serotonin
Keywords Psychotomimetic Tryptamine Phenethylamine Tyramine Enzyme Dopamine Biochemistry Hallucinogen Pharmacology Stereochemistry
Citations 183
Key findings An enzyme localized in rabbit lung N-methylates serotonin and tryptamine to produce psychotomimetic metabolites and also acts on several phenylethylamine derivatives.

Abstract

An enzyme has been found that N-methylates serotonin and tryptamine to psychotomimetic metabolites, bufotenine and N,N-dimethyltryptamine. This enzyme is highly localized in the rabbit lung and also N-methylates phenylethylamine derivatives such as tyramine, phenylethylamine, mescaline, and dopamine.

In the evidence

This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.

  • An enzyme localized in rabbit lung N-methylates serotonin and tryptamine to psychotomimetic metabolites and also acts on phenylethylamine derivatives including mescaline.

    Synthesized

Comparable studies

Other experimental studies on mescaline, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
PSYCHOTOMIMETICS, CLINICAL AND THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS: HARMINE, WIN-2299 AND NALLINE Schizophrenic patients 1957 Experimental study
Phencyclidine, Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, and Mescaline: Cerebral Artery Spasms and Hallucinogenic Activity Isolated basilar and middle cerebral arteries 1981 Experimental study
Acquired and Crossed Tolerance to Mescaline, LSD-25, and BOL-148 1959 Experimental study
Effects of Hallucinogenic and Tranquilizing Drugs on Serotonin Evoked Uterine Contractions. Uterus of spayed rat 1956 Experimental study
Extraordinary Experiences during Cross-Modal Perception Human participants 1976 Experimental study n = 9

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