Determination of a new anti-allergenic agent, 1-[4-[3-[4-[bis-(4-fluorophenyl)hydroxymethyl]-1-piperidinyl] propoxy]-3-methoxyphenyl]ethanone, and its active acidic metabolite in plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography.

High-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) methods were developed for the analysis of two compounds in a series of new antiallergenic agents, 1-[4-[3-[4-[bis(4-fluorophenyl)hydroxymethyl]-1-piperidinyl] propoxy]-3-methoxyphenyl]ethanone and its active acidic metabolite in plasma. The methods utilize ultraviolet or fluorescence detection, liquid-liquid extraction or solid-phase extraction and reversed-phase HPLC. The drugs were quantitated in samples from bioavailability studies performed in dogs. Calibrations were in the ng/ml concentration range for both compounds in plasma.

Studies on the mechanism of the antifungal action of benzoate.

A method is described for the determination of the pH of intracellular water based on the distribution of [14C]benzoate (0.01 mM) between intra- and extra-cellular water. Benzoate at higher concentrations (2-10mM) enters the yeast cell in the undissociated form, and its neutralization within the cell can cause a shift of the pH of the intracellular water by more than 1 pH unit. Benzoate causes an accumulation of the two hexose monophosphates of yeast glucose fermentation and a decrease in intermediates beyond phosphofructokinase, suggesting inhibition at this stage. Benzoate also causes a concomitant fall in [ATP]. Phosphofructokinase is inhibited to a greater extent than hexokinase at acid pH. There is a relationship between intracellular pH, phosphofructokinase inhibition and CO2 production, suggesting that the antifungal action of benzoate is caused by an accumulation of benzoate at low external pH, which lowers the intracellular pH into the range where phosphofructokinase is sensitive. The subsequent inhibition of glycolysis causes a fall in [ATP] and thus restricts growth.

The effect of cysteine oxidation on isolated hepatocytes.

Isolated hepatocytes incubated with 4mM-cysteine lose reduced glutathione, adenine nucleotides and intracellular enzymes, thus showing extensive membrane damage. The toxic effects of cysteine are enhanced by NH4Cl. Lactate, ethanol and unsaturated fatty acids afford significant protection against cysteine-induced cytoxicity. Addition of catalase to the incubation medium also protected against cysteine toxicity, indicating that H2O2 formed during the oxidation of cysteine is involved in the toxic effects observed. Under anaerobic conditions cysteine did not cause leakage of lactate dehydrogenase from cells, confirming that rapid autoxidation is an essential condition for development of the toxic effects of cysteine.

Adaptation of urate synthesis in chicken liver.

1. Urate synthesis was measured in hepatocytes from chickens after starvation or high-protein feeding. Adaptation occurred only on the high-protein diet. 2. The theoretical balances of reactions from alanine (5 alanine + 3 O2 = urate + 1.5 glucose + glycine) and asparagine (3 asparagine + 2 O2 = urate + ammonia + 0.5 glucose + glycine) agree reasonably well with the experimental results. 3. Enzymes directly involved in urate synthesis from these amino acids increase up to 12-fold on the high-protein diet; only amidophosphoribosyltransferase activity appears to be rate-limiting for urate synthesis. 4. The processes of nitrogen disposal in chicken and rat are compared and discussed.

Urinary excretion of meperidine and its metabolites.

The urine of male and female mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, cats, and dogs, given meperidine hydrochloride, 20--40 mg/kg ip, was analyzed by GLC for meperidine, normeperidine, p-hydroxymeperidine, and total (free and conjugated) meperidinic and normeperidinic acids. More than 90% of the excreted drugs was found in the 24-hr urine. Meperidine was observed in the urine of mice, rats, guinea pigs, and cats, but only a trace amount was observed in the urine of rabbits and dogs. Normeperidine, p-hydroxymeperidine (except in the mice), and total meperidinic and normeperidinic acids were observed in all species. All of the species studied have the capacity to N-demethylate meperidine to normeperidine and to hydrolyze meperidine and normeperidine to their respective acids. The male has a higher N-demethylating activity that the female with the exception of mice. Ester hydrolysis is a major metabolic pathway for meperidine metabolism.

TLC identification adn GLC determination of meperidine and its metabolites in biological fluids.

Procedures were developed for TLC identification and GLC determination of meperidine and its metabolites, i.e., p-hydroxymeperidine, normeperidine, and meperidinic and normeperidinic acids. Meperidine, p-hydroxymeperidine, and normeperidine were extracted with ether from biological fluids at pH 10, whereas meperidinic and normeperidinic acids and conjugated metabolites remained in the aqueous phase. The residue, upon evaporation of the extract to dryness, was derivatized with trifluoroacetic anhydride and gas chromatographed. Total (free and conjugated) meperidinic and normeperidinic acids in the aqueous phase were converted and determined as meperidine and normeperidine, respectively. A preliminary result of urinary disposition of meperidine and its metabolites in the rat is presented. The identity of these metabolites was confirmed with GLC-mass spectrometry.

Development of narcotic drug metabolizing enzymes in the newborn rat.

Liver 9000 x g supernatant of rats from 1 day of age to adult was used as the enzyme source to study glucuronidation of morphine, O-demethylation of norcodeine and N-demtheylation and ester hydrolysis of meperidine. Uridine diphosphate glucuronyl transferase activity in 1-day-old rats was about one-fifth of that of the adult, increased to the adult level between 3 and 7 days of age and exceeded that of the adult when the rats were 28 days old. The activities of O- and N-demethylase were first observed in the liver of 3- and 7-day-old rats, respectively, and increased to the adult level at 35 days of age. Esterase activity was first observed in 14-day-old rats and increased rapidly to the adult level at 35 days of age. Drug metabolizing capacity for newborn rats, in terms of percentage of that of adults (calculated based on the specific enzyme activity, protein content of the liver and liver weight), was quite low for the first 2 weeks of life, ranging from undetectable to less than 5% of the adult level. The capacity increased during the next 3 weeks, reaching about 50 to 75% of adult activities by the 35th day.

Utilization of energy-providing substrates in the isolated working rat heart.

1. An improved perfusion system for the isolated rat heart is described. It is based on the isolated working heart of Neely, Liebermeister, Battersby & Morgan (1967) (Am. J. Physiol. 212, 804-814) and allows the measurement of metabolic rates and cardiac performance at a near-physiological workload. The main improvements concern better oxygenation of the perfusion medium and greater versatility of the apparatus. Near-physiological performance (cardiac output and aortic pressure) was maintained for nearly 2 h as compared with 30 min or less in the preparations of earlier work. 2. The rates of energy release (O2 uptake and substrate utilization) were 40-100% higher than those obtained by previous investigators, who used hearts at subphysiological workloads. 3. Values are given for the rates of utilization of glucose, lactate, oleate, acetate and ketone bodies, for O2 consumption and for the relative contributions of various fuels to the energy supply of the heart. Glucose can be replaced to a large extent by lactate, oleate or acetate, but not by ketone bodies. 4. Apart from quantitative differences there were also major qualitative differences between the present and previous preparations. Thus insulin was not required for maximal rates of glucose consumption at near-physiological, in contrast with subphysiological, workloads when glucose was the sole added substrate. When glucose oxidation was suppressed by the addition of other oxidizable substrates (lactate, acetate or acetoacetate), insulin increased the contribution of glucose as fuel for cardiac energy production at high workload. 5. In view of the major effects of workload on cardiac metabolism, experimentation on hearts performing subphysiologically or unphysiologically is of limited value to the situation in vivo.

Cytosolic phosphorylation potential.

The tissue contents of the reactants of the myokinase (EC 2.7.4.3) and the combined glyceraldehyde-3-phophate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.29)-3-phosphoglycerate kinase (EC 2.7.2.3) reactions were measured in rapidly inactivated samples of human blood and rat brain, muscle, and liver. The tissue contents of the reactants of the creatine kinase (EC 2.7.3.2) reaction were measured in rat brain and muscle. In vitro the value of the expression: KG+G = [sigma3PG] . [sigmaATP] . [sigmalactate] KLDH = [sigmaHAP]/22] . [sigmaADP][sigmaPi] . [sigmaRUVATE] (1) was found to be 0.725 x 10(7) M-1 at I = 0.25, T = 38 degrees C, and free [Mg2+] = 0.15 mM and the value measured in vivo in red cell was 0.699 x 10(7) M-1. The value of the expression KMYK = ([sigma ATP] [sigma AMP]/[ADP2]) measured under the above conditions and at pH 7.2 was found to be 0.744 while the value found in red cell was 0.784 +/- 0.037. These reactions, therefore, appear to be in a state of near-equilibrium in the red cell and the measured tissue contents of ATP and ADP, which are common reactants in both reactions, approximate closely the activity of these reactants in vivo. In brain and muscle, the value of KG + G/KLDH calculated from the measured tissue contents of the reactants was a factor of 20 or more lower than that expected at equilibrium as was the measured value of the expression: KCK = [sigma ATP] [sigma creatine] divided by [sigma ADP] [sigma creatine-P] [H+] (2) Substitution of calculated free [sigma ADP] values in the expression of KG + G/KLDH gave values of 0.83 +/- 0.19 x 10(7) M-1 for brain and muscle, respectively, which agreed well with the value of 1.65 x 10(7) M-1 measured in vitro at I = 0.25, free [Mg2+] = 1 mM, T = 38 degrees C. This agreement between two highly active enzyme systems in the same compartment is taken as evidence of the existence of near-equilibrium in both these systems and suggests that free cytosolic [sigma ADP] is probably 20-fold lower than measured cell ADP content in mitochondrial-containing tissues.

Loss of cell constituents from hepatocytes on centrifugation.

In studies of the metabolism of isolated hepatocytes, it is often necessary to measure the concentrations of cell constituents both in cells and medium. When hepatocytes are separated in the special tubes of Hems, Lund & Krebs (1975) (Biochem. J. 150, 47--50), they lose much glucose, urea and Na+, whereas there is no loss of K+, glutamate, aspartate and adenine nucleotides. Cell water is also lost, as measured by the distribution of 3H2O. This loss is mainly due to an exchange of cell water with the aqueous solution in the stems of the tubes through which the cells pass on centrifugation. In general, substances are lost only when the intracellular concentration is equal to, or lower than, the extracellular concentration. Probably solutes are lost because they travel with the water unidirectionally out of the cell. A loss of solute does not occur when the cells are centrifuged in conical tubes with a layer of silicone oil between the cell suspension and the deproteinizing layer. The reasons for the loss occurring in the special separation tubes are discussed.

Isolation and metabolic characteristics of rat and chicken enterocytes.

1. The recent recognition of the metabolic, as opposed to absorptive, functions of the small intestine prompted efforts the improve the preparation of metabolically competent columnar absorptive cells ('enterocytes') and to study their metabolic properties. 2. With this preparation, linear rates of O2 consumption are obtained for 40 min at 37 degrees C that are more than 50% higher than rates reported by other authors. 3. Among added substrates, glucose, glutamine and glutamate are the preferred fuels of respiration. The main nitrogenous products of glutamine metabolism are NH3, alanine and glutamate. Glutamine carbon was not detectable in citrulline or proline, in contrast with the findings of Windmueller & Spaeth [(1974) J. Biol. Chem. 249, 5070-5079] in the vascularly perfused small intestine. 4. The rates of O2 uptake in the presence of glutamine or glutamate are sufficient to account for the formation of the carbon skeleton of alanine from the amino acid substrate, i.e. the ratio of O2 used/alanine formed is greater than 1.5. 5. Added ADP and ATP are rapidly degraded to AMP and IMP to a large extent by release of hydrolytic enzymes from the enterocytes into the medium. 6. Chicken enterocytes isolated by the same method are more stable; linear rates of O2 uptake are maintained for 60-70 min.

Isolation and identification of morphine n-oxide alpha- and beta-dihydromorphines, beta- or gamma-isomorphine, and hydroxylated morphine as morphine metabolites in several mammalian species.

New morphine metabolites in the urine of guinea pigs, rats, rabbits, cats, monkeys, and humans were isolated with column chromatography, solvent extraction, and TLC and identified with TLC, GLC, and GLC-mass spectrometry. In addition to the known morphine metabolites, morphine N-oxide was isolated from the urine of guinea pigs, and alpha- and beta-dihydromorphines were isolated or detected in the urine of guinea pigs, rats, and rabbits. Monohydroxymorphine was identified tentatively in the urine of guinea pigs, rats, rabbits, and cats. Dihydroxymorphine was identified tentatively in the urine of guinea pigs, rats, and possibly, rabbits. Finally, beta- or gamma-isomorphine was identified tentatively in the urine of guinea pigs. The newly described morphine metabolites may be involved in some long lasting pharmacological effects of morphine.

Sources of ammonia for mammalian urea synthesis.

The initial rate of incorporation of [15N]alanine into the 6-amino group of the adenine nucleotides in rat hepatocytes was about one-eighteenth of the rate of incorporation into urea. Thus the purine nucleotide cycle cannot provide most of the ammonia needed in urea synthesis for the carbamoyl phosphate synthase reaction (EC 2.7.2.5). On the other hand, contrary to the view expressed by McGivan & Chappell [(1975) FEBS Lett. 52, 1--7], the experiments support the view that hepatic glutamate dehydrogenase can supply the required ammonia.

Phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate in the mitochondrial matrix.

The origin of the GTP needed for th phosphorylation of AMP in the mitochondrial matrix was investigated. When short-chain fatty acids are metabolized by hepatocytes, AMP is readily formed within the matrix by the butyryl-CoA ligase (AMP-forming) reaction (EC 6.2.1.2). The rate of matrix AMP formation in rat hepatocytes was calculated from the rate of ketone-body formation. The rate of the reconversion of matrix AMP into ADP by GTP-AMP transphosphorylase is limited by the rate of supply of GTP. GTP can be formed either by succinic thiokinase (EC 6.2.1.4) or by nucleoside diphosphokinase (EC 2.7.4.6). The rate of the succinic thiokinase reaction was calculated from turnover of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and this was calculated from the rate of O2 consumption and ketone-body formation. The results show that nucleoside diphosphokinase can make a major contribution (up to 80%) to the supply of GTP under the test conditions.

Metabolism and excretion of normorphine in dogs.

Normorphine metabolism was studied in dogs given 20 mg of normorphine hydrochloride/kg sc. Free and (onjugated normorphine excreted in the urine over 144 hr represented 32 and 32%, respectively, of the administered dose. Eighty percent of the urinary excretion of the drug occurred within 9 hr. One percent of the administered dose was excreted as free normorphine in the feces. The urine was chromatographed on a column. Evaporation of the washing and methanolic effluent yielded a residue, which was purified by crystallization from aqueous methanol. Results of UV and IR studies, elemental analysis, and determination of normorphine and glucuronic acid content established the identity of this metabolite as normorphine 3-glucuronide. Dihydronormorphine and dehydronormorphine were detected with GLC-mass spectrometry as minor metabolites.