Effects of various S-adenosylmethionine preparations on histamine methylation in vitro and in vivo.

To test possible enhancement of in vivo methylation of histamine, mice were injected with S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) of approximately 96% purity. Instead of the expected enhancement, very strong inhibition of methylation was observed. Tests indicated that S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) probably was not the inhibitor. Pure SAM, from another source, showed no inhibition of methylation in rats and guinea pigs, and only slight inhibition in mice. Pure SAM was much more effective than the 96% SAM for histamine methylation in vitro. It seems either that injected SAM cannot enter cells containing the histamine methylating enzyme (HME), or that the endogenous supply of SAM is optimal. The inhibitor may be structurally related to SAM, possibly a by-product of SAM synthesis. As it is very effective even in the presence of large amounts of SAM, in pure form it would probably be the most potent inhibitor of histamine methylation available.