Tryptamines which are usually found in plants, fungi, animals, etc. are categorized under the monoamine alkaloids class of compounds.

Tryptamine has been used as a reference standard for the determination of tryptamine in fish and fish products by liquid chromatography (LC) combined with single-stage Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), in Polish wine samples by direct solid phase micro extraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (DI-SPME-GC-MS),[3] in Korean turbid rice wine, Makgeolli by ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography-electro spray tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS) and in beer by a non-woven nanofibre mat in combination with solid surface-room temperature phosphorescence (SS-RTP).

Vasoactive and may have a neuromodulator function; biogenic amine formed from the decarboxylation of tryptophan by L-aromatic amino acid decarboxylase.