Identification of Kryptopyrrole in Human Urine and its Relation to Psychosis

Irvine, D.G.; Bayne, W.F.; Miyashita, Hero; Majer, J. R.

doi:10.1038/224811a0

Cited by 46 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Interest in pyrroles as markers of psychiatric disorders started Dr. Abram Hoffer's discovery that "Mauve Factor", a pyrrole named for its lavender appearance in urine chromatograms stained with Ehrlich's reagent [1], was prominent in urine samples from schizophrenics [2,3]. After considerable efforts [4][5][6][7][8][9][10], Mauve Factor was determined to be the hemopyrrole derivative hydroxyhemopyrrolin-2-one (HPL). Hoffer claimed that HPL tended to decrease when a patient recovered from illness, and increased when illness reappeared; moreover, treatments with vitamin B6 and zinc were reported to decrease HPL levels and were associated with patient recovery [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical Test of Pyrroles in Psychiatric Disorders: Association with Nutritional, Immunological and Metabolic Markers

Mikirova

2015

J. Nutr. Ther.

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Background: Psychiatrists started using urine pyrroles (hydroxyhemopyrrolin-2-one, HPL) to diagnose psychiatric disorders many years ago. The biological origins of HPL are not known, nor are the causes of elevated urinary pyrrole excretion well understood. Methods: In the present study we analyzed the level of pyrroles in 148 patients with schizophrenia, 135 patients with bipolar disorder, 97 patients with depression, 119 patients with ADHD and compared these data with the results of pyrrole tests for patients with non-psychiatric conditions and healthy volunteers. Results: According to our data, urinary pyrrole concentrations tended to be high in patients with psychiatric disorders, but elevated level of pyrroles was not specific for only these patients. We found evidence of an allergy related component in the fact that elevated pyrrole levels were significantly more prevalent in subjects with elevated histamine values. A role of intestinal bacteria, or imbalances in intestinal bacterial metabolism, was also suggested based on the found relationship between elevated pyrrole levels and elevations in indicans and urobilinogens. In addition, our data demonstrated that subjects with severely elevated pyrrole levels were deficient in nutrients such as zinc, vitamin B3, and vitamin C. Conclusion: Thus, pyrrole excretion seems to be a component of illness in general and not strictly psychiatric disorders.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical Test of Pyrroles in Psychiatric Disorders: Association with Nutritional, Immunological and Metabolic Markers

Mikirova

2015

J. Nutr. Ther.

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“…Irvine’s group later identified the urinary compound as 2,4-dimethyl-3-ethylpyrrole (kryptopyrrole; FIGURE 1 ), following its chromatographic isolation from urine and mass spectrometry. 3 Sohler et al 4 confirmed Irvine’s identification of Mauve Factor and showed that it has a sedative effect on the central nervous system of rabbits.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Sixty years of conjecture over a urinary biomarker: a step closer to understanding the proposed link between anxiety and urinary pyrroles

Sherwin,

Shaw

2023

Laboratory Medicine

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Objective For over 60 years there has been conjecture about the identity of an Ehrlich’s test positive pyrrole (Mauve Factor) reputed to be a biomarker for psychological disorders, including anxiety. We reviewed studies that attempt to identify Mauve Factor and subjected authentic standards of the 2 main candidates, kryptopyrrole and hydroxypyrrole, to the Ehrlich’s reaction. Methods Modified Ehrlich’s test for kryptopyrrole and hydroxypyrrole were applied to urine samples from 10 volunteers, anxious and nonanxious. Results Based on the mechanistic chemistry of Ehrlich’s reaction and reactions of the 2 compounds, Mauve Factor cannot be hydroxypyrrole. Analyses of urine samples from volunteers, identified by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder - 7 item scale (GAD-7 ≥10; n = 5) and control urine samples (GAD-7 <10; n = 5) using a kryptopyrrole calibration graph, show that concentrations are similar in both groups. Conclusion Kryptopyrrole may be the elusive Mauve Factor. Its possible origin from stercobilin via gut microbiome–mediated metabolism, its link to gut-mediated neurological effects via γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, and its predicted interaction with Zn2+ and consequent impact on zinc homeostasis are discussed. The GAD-7 scale does not differentiate between state and trait anxiety and as such, the minimal difference in pyrrole levels between volunteer groups requires further study.

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“…In a current controlled study which is sponsored by the Canadian Mental Health Association, Saskatchewan Division, nearly 50 per cent of disturbed children are positive, and this suggests that their assay was faulty. The mauve factor is kryptopyrrole (41).…”

Section: Attempts At Corroboration -Negativementioning

confidence: 99%

Megavitamin B-3 Therapy for Schizophrenia

Hoffer

1971

Canadian Psychiatric Association Journal

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Identification of Kryptopyrrole in Human Urine and its Relation to Psychosis

Cited by 46 publications

References 8 publications

Clinical Test of Pyrroles in Psychiatric Disorders: Association with Nutritional, Immunological and Metabolic Markers

Clinical Test of Pyrroles in Psychiatric Disorders: Association with Nutritional, Immunological and Metabolic Markers

Sixty years of conjecture over a urinary biomarker: a step closer to understanding the proposed link between anxiety and urinary pyrroles

Megavitamin B-3 Therapy for Schizophrenia

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