Abstract
USING the drug-induced model psychosis as a guide to urinary constituents relevant to psychotic states, LSD was administered to volunteers and their urines were monitored by paper chromatography. In this way a new, Ehrlich-positive spot isographic with bufotenin was found and subsequently observed in many psychiatric patients not given LSD. In 1961, we named this substance “mauve factor” (because of its Ehrlich reaction), suggested it was pyrrolic, and pointed out its statistical association with psychosis (not specifically schizophrenia)1. Hoffer went further, perhaps prematurely, and suggested that persons excreting mauve factor could be described as suffering from a disease called “malvaria”2. The association between mauve factor and psychosis has been confirmed3–5 and similar trends were observed by others2,6,7,9, the factor usually being present in 30–60 per cent range of psychotic patients.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Irvine, D. G., J. Neuropsychiat., 2, 292 (1961).
Hoffer, A., and Osmond, H., Acta Psychiat. Scand., 39, 335 (1963).
Sohler, A., Renz, R. H., Smith, S., and Kaufman, J., Intern. J. Neuropsychiat., 3, 327 (1967).
O'Reilly, P. O., Ernest, M., and Hughes, G., Brit. J. Psychiat., 111, 741 (1965).
O'Reilly, P. O., Hughes, G., Russell, S., and Ernest, M., Dis. Nerv. Syst., 26, 562 (1965).
Yuwiler, A., and Good, M. H., J. Psychiat. Res., 1, 215 (1962).
Ellman, G. L., Jones, R. T., and Rychert, R. C., Amer. J. Psychiat., 125, 849 (1968).
Irvine, D. G., J. Clin. Chem., 9, 444 (1963).
Hoffer, A., and Mahon, M., J. Neuropsychiat., 2, 331 (1961).
Irvine, D. G., and Anderson, M. E., J. Chromatog., 20, 541 (1965).
Irvine, D. G., Bayne, W., and Anderson, M. E., Joint Meeting Canad. Soc. Clin. Chem. (1967).
Reio, L., J. Chromatog., 1, 338 (1958).
Budzikiewicz, H., Djerassi, C., Jackson, A. H., Kenner, G. W., Newman, D. J., and Wilson, J. M., J. Chem. Soc., 1949 (1964); Duffield, A. M., Beugelmans, R., Budzikiewicz, H., and Lightner, D. A., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 87, 905 (1965).
Gianturco, M. A., Giammarino, A. S., and Friedel, P., Nature, 210, 1358 (1966).
Sourkes, T. L., Biochemistry of Mental Disease (Harper and Row, New York, 1962).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
IRVINE, D., BAYNE, W., MIYASHITA, H. et al. Identification of Kryptopyrrole in Human Urine and its Relation to Psychosis. Nature 224, 811–813 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1038/224811a0
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/224811a0
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Das Chamäleon Kryptopyrrolurie
Journal für Gynäkologische Endokrinologie/Schweiz (2020)
-
Die (Krypto-)Pyrrolurie in der Umweltmedizin: eine valide Diagnose?
Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz (2007)
-
?-Aminolaevulinic acid and amino acid neurotransmitters
Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry (1981)
-
The ‘mauve factor’ of schizophrenia and porphyria, 5-hydroxyhaemopyrrole lactam, has low pharmacological potency on guinea-pig ileum
Experientia (1979)
-
The dye-sensitized photooxygenation of hemopyrrole
Experientia (1974)