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The Origin of Indoleacetic Acid and Indolepropionic Acid in Rat and Human Cerebrospinal Fluid 1
Author(s) -
Young Simon N.,
Anderson George M.,
Gauthier Serge,
Purdy William C.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.1980.tb09944.x
Subject(s) - tryptamine , 5 hydroxyindoleacetic acid , metabolism , metabolite , cerebrospinal fluid , biochemistry , tryptophan , chemistry , serotonin , human brain , biology , chromatography , amino acid , neuroscience , receptor
Using a new high performance liquid chromatographic method we have measured tryptophan, 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA), indoleacetic acid (IAA), and indolepropionic acid (IPA) in rat and human CSF. Experiments on rats indicate that IPA in CSF is not derived from the CNS but from bacterial metabolism in the intestine. However, IAA in CSF is derived from CNS tryptamine metabolism. Some tryptamine that is formed peripherally diffuses across the blood‐brain barrier and augments the tryptamine formed within the CNS. We have concluded from our data that (i) measurements on CSF are a useful way of studying trace amine metabolism in human CNS, but it is essential to establish the anatomical and metabolic origin of any metabolite found in the CSF; and (ii) tryptamine metabolism is more important in man than in the rat.