Abstract
The toxic agent involved in the extract of rotten short-neck clam was searched by us chemically and pharmacologically, The results are as follows:
1) Tyramine, putrescine, agmatine and cadaverine were produced in it, though histamine was not.
2)Choline was produced in it. Its amount was 1.70-4.25 mg/g.
3) The antagonistic manner of atropine or benadryl against to the intestinal contraction of a guinea pig caused from the serosal side in vitro by this extract was similar to that against to the choline action.
4) The rotten extract induced the contraction of a guinea pig alimentary tract from its mucosal side in vivo.
5) Choline induced the contraction of a guinea pig alimentary tract from its mucowl side in vivo with the concentration of 1.70-4.25 mg/ml.
6) The quantity of feces excreted from a guinea pig increased without delay after oral administration of 5 ml of that rotten extract, but returned to the normal quantity in 5 hours.
From the above data, the agent of the food poisoning caused by rotten short-neck clam is considered to be choline in it.
