Methylimidazoleacetic acid

HA turnover is rapid in the brain, with a half-life of about 30 min. This can change very quickly depending on neuronal activity. There is no high-affinity uptake system for HA once released, HA is inactivated by catabolism. In the brain, released HA is methylated almost exclusively by the enzyme histamine-N-methyltransferase (E.C. 2.1.1.8). The tele-methyl-HA is subsequently degraded by monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) and aldehyde dehydrogenase to produce tele-methylimidazoleacetic acid (Brown et ah, 2001). 

Histamine is formed by decarboxylation of the amino acid l -histidine, a reaction catalyzed in mammalian tissues by the enzyme histidine decarboxylase. Once formed, histamine is either stored or rapidly inactivated. Very little histamine is excreted unchanged. The major metabolic pathways involve conversion to /V-methylhistamine, methylimidazoleacetic acid, and imidazoleacetic acid (IAA). Certain neoplasms (systemic mastocytosis, urticaria pigmentosa, gastric carcinoid, and occasionally myelogenous leukemia) are associated with increased numbers of mast cells or basophils and with increased excretion of histamine and its metabolites. 

Histamine possesses hormone activity in animals (E 3.1) and acts as a neurotransmitter (E 3.2). It is a plant feeding deterrent present, for instance, in nettle toxin (E 5.5.3). Also the alkaloid pilocarpine has strong physiological activity in vertebrates and deters potential predators (E 5.5.3). It is used as a cholinergic drug in medicine (F 2). Urocanic acid, hydantoin propionic acid, imidazoleacetic acid riboside, 1-methylhistidine, 1-methylimidazoleacetic acid and other imidazole derivatives are involved in the removal of L-histidine and histamine residues from the organism of animals. They are found in the urine. Urocanic acid is also a constituent of sweat (E 1). It is involved in the protection of skin to UV radiation (E 2.2). 

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