N-methyl-N-formylhydrazine: a toxic and mutagenic inhibitor of the intestinal diamine oxidase.

N-methyl-N-formylhydrazine is the first active intermediate of the poison gyromitrin of the mushroom: false morel. This compound is a non-competitive inhibitor of human intestinal diamine oxidase (ID50 = 1.6 X 10(-5) mol/l). This concentration corresponds to less than 5 g of wet weight of mushroom/l. The diamine oxidases from 5 other sources are inhibited in a similar manner. Semicarbazide and aminoguanidine are 10-respectively 1000-fold more potent inhibitors of the human intestinal diamine oxidase. An involvement of the diamine oxidase inhibitory property of N-methyl-N-formylhydrazine in toxic and mutagenic effects of the substance is considered.