Abstract
THE presence of biogenic amines has been reported in a number of plants1,2. Although they are found most widely distributed in fungi, their presence in higher plants has been made more evident by work in recent years, and a survey of the physiologically active amines in fruits and vegetables by Udenfriend et al.3 revealed a wide variety of these compounds. Holtz4 had shown earlier that extracts of tomato and spinach had a physiological action in animals similar to histamine, and Werle and Raub5 extended this work to a survey of many plant genera. In this survey, water extracts of Trifolium pratense and Trifolium repens were shown to have slight histamine-like activity. The presence of histamine, N-dimethyl histamine, N-acetyl histamine and acetylcholine in Spinacea oleracea has since been confirmed by Appel and Werle6. Colamine has been shown to be present in grass14 and the presence of other amines is also suggested.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Klein, G., Handbuch der Pflanzenanalyse (Vienna, 1933).
Guggenheim, M., Die biogenen Amine (Basle, 1940).
Udenfriend, S., Lovenberg, Walter, and Sjoerdsma, Albert, Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 85, 487 (1959).
Holtz, P., Arch. Exp. Pathol. Pharmakol., 187, 336 (1937).
Werle, E., and Raub, A., Biochem. Z., 318, 538 (1948).
Appel, W., and Werle, E., Arzneim.-Forsch., 9, 22 (1959).
Block, R. J., and Bolling, D., The Amino-Acid Composition of Proteins and Foods (C. C. Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, 1951).
Beckett, A. H., Beaven, M. A., and Robinson, Ann E., J. Pharm. and Pharmacol., Supp., 12, 203, T (1960).
Flemming, K., Naturwiss., 9, 205 (1960).
van Die, J., Roy. Netherlands Acad. Sci. Proc., Ser. C., 61, (4) (1958).
Underwood, J. C., and Rockland, L. B., Anal. Chem., 26, 1553 (1954).
Inoue, Mitsuji, Nagasaki Igakkai Zassi, 28, 1283 (1953).
Cowgill, R. W., Anal. Chem., 27, 1519 (1955).
van der Horst, C. J. G., Tijdschrift voor Diergeneeskunde, 85, (17), 1060 (1960).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
FOWLER, H. Histamine in Grasses and Clovers. Nature 193, 582–583 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1038/193582a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/193582a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.