Evidence against putrescine and polyamines as endogenous mediators of fever.

Endogenous concentrations of putrescine, spermidine, spermine and related biosynthetic enzymes were not affected by the administration of bacterial endotoxin and the subsequent development of fever in rabbits. In addition, the febrile response to endotoxin was unaffected either by the ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor, DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine or by putrescine. These data indicate polyamines are not involved in the development of fever.