90 BACTERIAL METABOLISM PRODUCTS 



These substances when formed in the intestinal tract are absorbed 

 and carried to the liver where they are conjugated with the formation 

 of indican which is then eliminated by the kidneys. The stages 

 through which indol passes in forming i'ndican are as follows: 



H H 



c c 



/ \ / \ 



HC C - COH 



HC C CH 



\ /\ / 

 C NH 

 H 



Indoxyl. 



H 



C 0-S0 3 K 



HC C - C 



+ KOH 



HC C C H 



\'/\ / 



C NH 



H 



Indoxyl sulphuric acid. Indican. 



Amins. The simplest member of this series is methylamin 

 (CH 3 NH 2 ) which is produced in small quantities in the decomposi- 

 tion of nitrogenous organic matter. It occurs in herring brine along 

 with dimethylamin (CH 3 ) 2 NH and trimethylamin (CH 3 ) 3 N. When 

 alinin is acted upon by the carboxylase the carboxyl group of the 

 amino-acid is split oft with the formation of ethylamin according to 

 the following reaction : 



CH 3 CHNH 2 COOH CH 3 CH 2 NH 2 + CO 2 



Alanin. Ethyl amin. 



Others of special interest which may be due to bacterial activity 

 are: 



1. Cadaverin from lysin: 



-CH 2 CH 2 CHz CH COOH CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 



NH 2 NH 2 NH 2 NH 2 + CO 2 



Ly.sin. Cadaverin. 



2. Putrescin f rom ornithin : 



( 'H 2 CH2 CH 2 CH COOH CH CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 



+ CO,- 

 NH 2 NH 2 NH> 



Ornithin. Putrescin. 



3. Beta-imidazole ethylamin from histidin: 



HC NH X H C NH V 



C N ^ C- N ^ 



CH 2 CH 2 + CO 2 



CHNH 2 CH 2 NH 2 



COOH 



Histidin. Beta-iniidazole ethyl-amiu. 



