Indole-, imidazole-, and phenyl-alkylamines in the skin of thirteen <i>Leptodactylus</i> species

The skin of thirteen Leptodactylus species and sub-species has been examined in regard to its content in biogenic amines. This tissue presents, especially in Leptodactylus pentadactylus labyrinthicus and some other species, an unusually rich miscellany of amines, including at least two indolealkylamines (5-hydroxytryptamine and bufotenidine), three hydroxyphenylalkylamines (p-tyramine, candicine, leptodactyline) and five imidazolealkylamines (histamine, N-methylhistamine, N,N-dimethylhistamine, spinaceamine and 6-methylspinaceamine). It is concluded that the Leptodactylus skin must possess aromatic acid decarboxylase activity, tryptophan-5-hydroxylase activity and N-methyltransferase activity. The skin of nearly every Leptodactylus species and sub-species is characterized by a particular spectrum of amines, which evidently may help in systematies of these species.Material digitalizado en SEDICI gracias a la colaboración del Dr. Jorge Williams (FCNM-UNLP).Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Occurrence of candicine (p-HYDROXYPHENYLETHYLTRIMETHYLAMMONIUM) in extracts of the skin of <i>leptodactylus pentadactylus pentadactylus</i>

CANDICINE has been known for more than 30 years to be a natural constituent of some plants, more precisely of some Argentinian Cactaceae. The compound has now been found to occur in a vertebrate tissue also. The dry skin of five specimens of Leptodactylus pentadactylus pentadactylus, an Amazonium amphibian, was extracted twice with 70 per cent acetone. The combined extracts were concentrated under reduced pressure and the aqueous liquid shaken repeatedly with petroleum ether to remove fats. Then evaporation was continued and the syrupy residue taken up, by stirring, in 100 ml of 99 per cent ethanol. The liquid was then passed through a column of alkaline alumina. Elution was carried out with decreasing concentrations of ethanol, as described in detail in other papers. ’ The different eluates were suitably concentrated and then chromatographed on Whatman no. 1 paper.Material digitalizado en SEDICI gracias a la colaboración del Dr. Jorge Williams (FCNM-UNLP).Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Occurrence of candicine (p-HYDROXYPHENYLETHYLTRIMETHYLAMMONIUM) in extracts of the skin of <i>leptodactylus pentadactylus pentadactylus</i>

CANDICINE has been known for more than 30 years to be a natural constituent of some plants, more precisely of some Argentinian Cactaceae. The compound has now been found to occur in a vertebrate tissue also. The dry skin of five specimens of Leptodactylus pentadactylus pentadactylus, an Amazonium amphibian, was extracted twice with 70 per cent acetone. The combined extracts were concentrated under reduced pressure and the aqueous liquid shaken repeatedly with petroleum ether to remove fats. Then evaporation was continued and the syrupy residue taken up, by stirring, in 100 ml of 99 per cent ethanol. The liquid was then passed through a column of alkaline alumina. Elution was carried out with decreasing concentrations of ethanol, as described in detail in other papers. ’ The different eluates were suitably concentrated and then chromatographed on Whatman no. 1 paper.Material digitalizado en SEDICI gracias a la colaboración del Dr. Jorge Williams (FCNM-UNLP).Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Occurrence of candicine (p-HYDROXYPHENYLETHYLTRIMETHYLAMMONIUM) in extracts of the skin of <i>leptodactylus pentadactylus pentadactylus</i>

CANDICINE has been known for more than 30 years to be a natural constituent of some plants, more precisely of some Argentinian Cactaceae. The compound has now been found to occur in a vertebrate tissue also. The dry skin of five specimens of Leptodactylus pentadactylus pentadactylus, an Amazonium amphibian, was extracted twice with 70 per cent acetone. The combined extracts were concentrated under reduced pressure and the aqueous liquid shaken repeatedly with petroleum ether to remove fats. Then evaporation was continued and the syrupy residue taken up, by stirring, in 100 ml of 99 per cent ethanol. The liquid was then passed through a column of alkaline alumina. Elution was carried out with decreasing concentrations of ethanol, as described in detail in other papers. ’ The different eluates were suitably concentrated and then chromatographed on Whatman no. 1 paper.Material digitalizado en SEDICI gracias a la colaboración del Dr. Jorge Williams (FCNM-UNLP).Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Taxonomic and Evolutionary Significance of Biogenic Amines and Polypeptides in Amphibian Skin. II. Toads of the Genera Bufo and Melanophryniscus

The value of the study of biogenic amines and active polypeptides of the amphibian skin in providing taxonomic evidence has been pointed in an earlier paper (Cei, Erspamer and Roseghini, 1967). The point was stressed that biochemical taxonomy, in its broadest sense, is possibly more discriminating than traditional taxonomy, based on somatic or osteological structures, size or coloration. In the first paper of this series sets of biochemical and pharmacological data concerning the skins of lep- todactylid frogs were reported and discussed. The present paper deals similarly with representatives of another very important family of Procoela, the Bufonidae.Material digitalizado en SEDICI gracias a la colaboración del Dr. Jorge Williams (FCNM-UNLP).Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Taxonomic and evolutionary significance of biogenic amines and polypeptides occurring in amphibian skin. I. Neotropical Leptodactylid frogs

Qualitative identification and quantitative estimation both of aromatic biogenic amines and pharmacologically active polypeptides in the skin of amphibians appear to offer a valuable contribution to studies in taxonomy and evolution of this vertebrate class. Several examples of the accordance of the biochemical data herein reported with the data of traditional taxonomy are described for the neotropical family of frogs Leptodactylidae, but particular emphasis is laid on the striking correspondence between the systemic distribution of the spectra of biogenic amines and morphological taxonomy which is demonstrated by the species of the genus Leptodactylus.Material digitalizado en SEDICI gracias a la colaboración del Dr. Jorge Williams (FCNM-UNLP).Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Taxonomic and Evolutionary Significance of Biogenic Amines and Polypeptides in Amphibian Skin. II. Toads of the Genera Bufo and Melanophryniscus

The value of the study of biogenic amines and active polypeptides of the amphibian skin in providing taxonomic evidence has been pointed in an earlier paper (Cei, Erspamer and Roseghini, 1967). The point was stressed that biochemical taxonomy, in its broadest sense, is possibly more discriminating than traditional taxonomy, based on somatic or osteological structures, size or coloration. In the first paper of this series sets of biochemical and pharmacological data concerning the skins of lep- todactylid frogs were reported and discussed. The present paper deals similarly with representatives of another very important family of Procoela, the Bufonidae.Material digitalizado en SEDICI gracias a la colaboración del Dr. Jorge Williams (FCNM-UNLP).Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Indole-, imidazole-, and phenyl-alkylamines in the skin of thirteen <i>Leptodactylus</i> species

The skin of thirteen Leptodactylus species and sub-species has been examined in regard to its content in biogenic amines. This tissue presents, especially in Leptodactylus pentadactylus labyrinthicus and some other species, an unusually rich miscellany of amines, including at least two indolealkylamines (5-hydroxytryptamine and bufotenidine), three hydroxyphenylalkylamines (p-tyramine, candicine, leptodactyline) and five imidazolealkylamines (histamine, N-methylhistamine, N,N-dimethylhistamine, spinaceamine and 6-methylspinaceamine). It is concluded that the Leptodactylus skin must possess aromatic acid decarboxylase activity, tryptophan-5-hydroxylase activity and N-methyltransferase activity. The skin of nearly every Leptodactylus species and sub-species is characterized by a particular spectrum of amines, which evidently may help in systematies of these species.Material digitalizado en SEDICI gracias a la colaboración del Dr. Jorge Williams (FCNM-UNLP).Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Taxonomic and evolutionary significance of biogenic amines and polypeptides occurring in amphibian skin. I. Neotropical Leptodactylid frogs

Qualitative identification and quantitative estimation both of aromatic biogenic amines and pharmacologically active polypeptides in the skin of amphibians appear to offer a valuable contribution to studies in taxonomy and evolution of this vertebrate class. Several examples of the accordance of the biochemical data herein reported with the data of traditional taxonomy are described for the neotropical family of frogs Leptodactylidae, but particular emphasis is laid on the striking correspondence between the systemic distribution of the spectra of biogenic amines and morphological taxonomy which is demonstrated by the species of the genus Leptodactylus.Material digitalizado en SEDICI gracias a la colaboración del Dr. Jorge Williams (FCNM-UNLP).Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Taxonomic and Evolutionary Significance of Biogenic Amines and Polypeptides in Amphibian Skin. II. Toads of the Genera Bufo and Melanophryniscus

The value of the study of biogenic amines and active polypeptides of the amphibian skin in providing taxonomic evidence has been pointed in an earlier paper (Cei, Erspamer and Roseghini, 1967). The point was stressed that biochemical taxonomy, in its broadest sense, is possibly more discriminating than traditional taxonomy, based on somatic or osteological structures, size or coloration. In the first paper of this series sets of biochemical and pharmacological data concerning the skins of lep- todactylid frogs were reported and discussed. The present paper deals similarly with representatives of another very important family of Procoela, the Bufonidae.Material digitalizado en SEDICI gracias a la colaboración del Dr. Jorge Williams (FCNM-UNLP).Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse