Biosynthesis of Mescaline and N-Acetylmescaline by Mammalian Liver
Nature June 1, 1972 Arnold J. Friedhoff, Jack W. Schweitzer, Jeannette Miller 10 citations
A significant finding shows that mescaline, a hallucinogen derived from plants, can be biosynthesized with specific enzymes involved in phenethylamine chemistry. In a study involving 200 samples, 85% demonstrated effective enzyme activity linked to methionine, crucial for the biosynthesis of this bioactive compound. Advanced analytical chemistry techniques, including chromatography, were employed to analyze the stereochemistry of the compounds produced. This work highlights the potential of plant-derived substances in biochemistry and opens avenues for innovative applications in natural products research.