Serotonin

Description

A very potent vascular constricting agent that is isolated from animal tissue. Serotonin, also called 5-hydroxytryptamine, can be used as a fluorochrome. It has a mean excitation wavelength of 400 nm (ultraviolet) and a mean emission wavelength of 530 nm (Wolbers et al., 1990).

Synonyms and Related Terms

5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-hydroxy-3-(beta-aminoethyl)indole; serotonin (Dan., Sven.); Serotonin (Deut.); serotonina (Esp., Pol., Port.); sérotonine (Fr.); serotonine (Ned.);

Chemical structure

Other Properties

Soluble in water, glacial acetic acid. Insoluble in absolute ethanol, acetone, chloroform, ether, benzene.

Composition	C10H12N2O
CAS	50-67-9
Molecular Weight	mol. wt. = 176.22

Additional Information

R. Wolbers, N. Sterman, C. Stavroudis, "Notes for Workshop on New Methods in the Cleaning of Paintings", Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles, 1990.

Authority

• Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993

• Richard C. Wolbers, Nanette T. Sterman, Chris Stavroudis, Notes for Workshop on New Methods in the Cleaning of Paintings, J.Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 1990

• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997

• The Merck Index, Martha Windholz (ed.), Merck Research Labs, Rahway NJ, 10th edition, 1983 Comment: entry 8607

• The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998