Degradation of Phenylethylamines in Plant Cell Suspension Cultures

Abstract

Cell suspension cultures of Hordeum vulgäre were shown to contain N–methyltyramine, hordenine and gramine. Cell cultures of barley as well as of wheat, parsley, soybean, mungbean and chick pea degraded the phenylethylamines hordenine, tyramine and dopamine to CO₂. Intermediates were N–methyltyramine and p–hydroxyphenylacetic acid, p–hydroxybenzoic acid and 3, 4–dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, respectively. Oxidative polymerisation of phenylethylamines and intermediate phenols was also observed. Phenylethylamine catabolism in plants and animals seems to be similar.

Key Word Index

Phenylethylamines - Hordenine - Catabolism - Phenylacetic Acids - Plant Cell Suspension Cultures