Potentially hallucinogenic 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor ligands bufotenine and dimethyltryptamine in blood and tissues.
J Kärkkäinen, T Forsström, J Tornaeus, K Wähälä, P Kiuru, A Honkanen, U H Stenman, U Turpeinen, A Hesso
Scandinavian journal of clinical and laboratory investigation January 1, 2005 DOI: 10.1080/00365510510013604 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractBufotenine and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) are hallucinogenic compounds naturally produced in the human body from serotonin and tryptamine. Using highly sensitive mass spectrometry, researchers detected large amounts of bufotenine in human stools, suggesting a role in intestinal function, while only small amounts were found in somatic or neural tissues and none in blood. The compounds may originate from epithelial cells of the intestine and kidney, though synthesis by gut bacteria is possible. Rapid breakdown by monoamine oxidase or limited formation in most tissues explains their low levels elsewhere.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Empirical study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Human tissues, including urine, blood, and stools, as well as animal tissues |
| Topics | DMT |
| Keywords | Internal psychedelics Human body Internal chemistry Physiological chemistry |
| Citations | 50 |
| Key finding | Large amounts of bufotenine were detected in human stools, indicating a potential role in intestinal function. |
Abstract
Bufotenine and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) are hallucinogenic dimethylated indolethylamines (DMIAs) formed from serotonin and tryptamine by the enzyme indolethylamine N-methyltransferase (INMT) ubiquitously present in non-neural tissues. In mammals, endogenous bufotenine and DMT have been identified only in human urine. The DMIAs bind effectively to 5HT receptors and their administration causes a variety of autonomic effects, which may reflect their actual physiological function. Endogenous levels of bufotenine and DMT in blood and a number of animal and human tissues were determined using highly sensitive and specific quantitative mass spectrometric techniques. A new finding was the detection of large amounts of bufotenine in stools, which may be an indication of its role in intestinal function. It is suggested that fecal and urinary bufotenine originate from epithelial cells of the intestine and the kidney, respectively, although the possibility of their synthesis by intestinal bacteria cannot be excluded. Only small amounts of the DMIAs were found in somatic or neural tissues and none in blood. This can be explained by rapid catabolism of the DMIAs by mitochondrial monoamino-oxidase or by the fact that the dimethylated products of serotonin and tryptamine are not formed in significant amounts in most mammalian tissues despite the widespread presence of INMT in tissues.