Abstract
Serum cholinesterase inhibition was examined with 18 kinds of putrefaction amine, 4 kinds of acetylcholine-like substance, and 2 kinds of amino acid in 10-3 to 10-1 molar concentrations. It was thereby found that in the methylamine and ethylamine series, the inhibition increased with increasing number of methyl and ethyl groups, while in the butylamine series, the inhibition increased in the order of mono-, iso-, and di-butyl groups. In the monoalkyl- and dialkylamine series, cholinesterase inhibition also increased with increasing number of carbon atoms in the alkyl chain. Some examinations were also made on the mechanism of cholinesterase inhibition by trimethylamine. In putrefaction amines, piperidine, tyramine, tryptamine, arcaine, and agmatine showed a strong inhibitory action, while histamine, betaine, choline, putrescine, and trimethylamine N-oxide only showed a weak action. It was suggested that there is some relation between the cholinesterase inhibitory action of these amines and food poisoning caused by them.
