The term agmatine stems from A- (for amino-) + g- (from guanidine) + -ma- (from ptomaine) + -in (German)/-ine (English) suffix with insertion of -t- apparently for euphony. A year after its discovery, it was found that Agmatine could increase blood flow in rabbits; however, the physiological relevance of these findings were questioned given the high concentrations (high μM range) required. In the 1920s, researchers in the diabetes clinic of Oskar Minkowski have shown that agmatine can exert mild hypoglycemic effects.  In 1994, endogenous agmatine synthesis in mammals was discovered.