A Note on the Presence of Noradrenaline and 5-Hydroxytryptamine in Plantain (Musa Sapientum, Var. Paradisiaca)

Noradrenaline, 5-hydroxytryptamine and dopamine are present in the fruit of Musa sapientum, var. paradisiaca (Plantain), which forms a staple food of many inhabitants of West Africa. The amounts of 5-hydroxytryptamine and noradrenaline are highest when the fruit is ripe. An estimated daily intake of 10 mg. of 5-hydroxytryptamine by West Africans has little apparent effect on the normal functioning of the intestinal tract.