Adrenaline (epinephrine) isolated
Adrenalina, primera hormona aislada
- Date
- 1901 · confidence high
- Place
- Parke-Davis laboratory / Johns Hopkins, United States
- Credited to
- Jōkichi Takamine and Keizo Uenaka; John Abel; Oliver and Schäfer (pressor effect, 1894)
- People
- 👤 Edward Albert Sharpey-Schäfer1850–1935👤 John Jacob Abel1857–1938👤 Jokichi Takamine1854–1922👤 Keizō Uenaka1876–1960
- Field
- Life & health
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What was discovered
Takamine isolated in crystalline form the active principle of the adrenal medulla, the first purified and commercialised hormone. It revealed chemical signalling between organs.
Abel had isolated an impure derivative (epinephrine) in 1897; Takamine's patent was litigated.
What it led to
- pharmacology of adrenergic receptors
- treatment of anaphylaxis and cardiac arrest
- the concept of chemical neurotransmission
Built on
- Taka-diastase (first industrial fungal enzyme)1894
- adrenal extracts