Putrescine catabolism in rats given heparin or aminoguanidine.

Rats treated acutely with aminoguanidine, a potent inhibitor of diamine oxidase, or with heparin display reduced ability to metabolize 14C-putrescine to radioactive carbon dioxide. After either drug rats recover 50% of the ability to catabolize putrescine in 15--18 h. This is in close agreement with the half-time for recovery of diamine exidase activity, and indicates that putrecine-catabolizing ability of the rat reflects in a physiologically significant way the function of diamine oxidase in vivo.