Determination of 7-iodo-1,3-dihydro-1-methyl-5(2'-fluorophenyl)-2h-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one (Ro 7-9957) and its major biotransformation products in blood and urine by electron capture-gas-liquid chromatography.

A sensitive and specific electron capture-gas chromatographic assay was developed for the determination of 7-iodo-1,3-dihydro-1-methyl-5(2'-fluorophenyl)-2H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one (I) and its major metabolites in blood and urine. The overall recovery of I and its N-desmethyl metabolite (II) from blood is apparently quantitative. The recovery of the major urinary metabolite, the N-desmethyl-3-hydroxy analog (IV), and the minor metabolites, the N-desmethyl analog (II) and the N-methyl-3-hydroxy analog (III) added to urine as authentic reference standards ranged from 80 to 85%. The sensitivity limits of detection are of the order of 2-3 ng of I and 4-5 ng of II per ml of blood or urine. The method was applied to the determination of blood levels and the urinary excretion pattern in a dog following oral and intravenous administration of a 1-mg/kg dose (total 13 mg), and in man following the intravenous administration of single 5- and 10-mg doses. The N-desmethyl metabolite II was more predominant in dog blood than was the orally or intravenously administered I, but II was barely measurable in human blood.     

Monoamine Oxidase-Catalyzed Oxidative Rearrangement of trans,trans-1-(Aminomethyl)-2-methoxy-3-phenylcyclopropane

trans,trans-1-(Aminomethyl)-2-methoxy-3-phenylcyclopropane (3) was synthesized in three steps from (Z)-beta-methoxystyrene and ethyl diazoacetate. Compound 3 was shown to be a substrate and inactivator of mitochondrial beef liver monoamine oxidase (MAO) with a partition ratio of 1428. MAO-catalyzed oxidation of 3 produces one major metabolite, isolated and identified by GCOSY, GHMQC, and GHMBC NMR techniques to be trans,trans-2-methoxy-3-phenyl-1-N-[(3-phenyl-N-pyrrolyl)methyl]cyclopropane (7). A mechanism, supported by a model reaction, is proposed for the formation of this metabolite.     

Qualitative studies on the metabolism and the toxicological detection of the fentanyl-derived designer drugs 3-methylfentanyl and isofentanyl in rats using liquid chromatography–linear ion trap–mass spectrometry (LC-MS<Superscript>n</Superscript>)

The opioid 3-methylfentanyl, a designer drug of the fentanyl type, was scheduled by the Controlled Substance Act due to its high potency and abuse potential. To overcome this regulation, isofentanyl, another designer fentanyl, was synthesized in a clandestine laboratory and seized by the German police. The aims of the presented study were to identify the phase I and phase II metabolites of 3-methylfentanyl and isofentanyl in rat urine, to identify the cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes involved in their initial metabolic steps, and, finally, to test their detectability in urine. Using liquid chromatography (LC)–linear ion trap–mass spectrometry (MSⁿ), nine phase I and five phase II metabolites of 3-methylfentanyl and 11 phase I and four phase II metabolites of isofentanyl could be identified. The following metabolic steps could be postulated for both drugs: N-dealkylation followed by hydroxylation of the alkyl and aryl moiety, hydroxylation of the propanamide side chain followed by oxidation to the corresponding carboxylic acid, and, finally, hydroxylation of the benzyl moiety followed by methylation. In addition, N-oxidation of isofentanyl could also be observed. All hydroxy metabolites were partly excreted as glucuronides. Using recombinant human isoenzymes, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP3A4, and CYP3A5 were found to be involved in the initial metabolic steps. Our LC-MSⁿ screening approach allowed the detection of 0.01 mg/L of 3-methylfentanyl and isofentanyl in spiked urine. However, in urine of rats after the administration of suspected recreational doses, the parent drugs could not be detected, but their common nor metabolite, which should therefore be the target for urine screening.     

Selenium metabolites in human urine after ingestion of selenite, <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">L</Emphasis>-selenomethionine,or <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">DL</Emphasis>-selenomethionine: a quantitative case study by HPLC/ICPMS

To obtain quantitative information on human metabolism of selenium, we have performed selenium speciation analysis by HPLC/ICPMS on samples of human urine from one volunteer over a 48-hour period after ingestion of selenium (1.0 mg) as sodium selenite, L-selenomethionine, or DL-selenomethionine. The three separate experiments were performed in duplicate. Normal background urine from the volunteer contained total selenium concentrations of 8–30 μg Se/L (n=22) but, depending on the chromatographic conditions, only about 30–70% could be quantified by HPLC/ICPMS. The major species in background urine were two selenosugars, namely methyl-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-1-seleno-β-D-galactopyranoside (selenosugar 1) and its deacylated analog methyl-2-amino-2-deoxy-1-seleno-β-D-galactopyranoside (selenosugar 3). Selenium was rapidly excreted after ingestion of the selenium compounds: the peak concentrations (∼250–400 μg Se/L, normalized concentrations) were recorded within 5–9 hours, and concentrations had returned to close to background levels within 48 hours, by which time 25–40% of the ingested selenium, depending on the species ingested, had been accounted for in the urine. In all experiments, the major metabolite was selenosugar 1, constituting either ∼80% of the total selenium excreted over the first 24 hours after ingestion of selenite or L-selenomethionine or ∼65% after ingestion of DL-selenomethionine. Selenite was not present at significant levels (<1 μg Se/L) in any of the samples; selenomethionine was present in only trace amounts (∼1 μg/L, equivalent to less than 0.5% of the total Se) following ingestion of L-selenomethionine, but it constituted about 20% of the excreted selenium (first 24 hours) after ingestion of DL-selenomethionine, presumably because the D form was not efficiently metabolized. Trimethylselenonium ion, a commonly reported urine metabolite, could not be detected (<1 μg/L) in the urine samples after ingestion of selenite or selenomethionine. Cytotoxicity studies on selenosugar 1 and its glucosamine isomer (selenosugar 2, methyl-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-1-seleno-β-D-glucosopyranoside) were performed with HepG2 cells derived from human hepatocarcinoma, and these showed that both compounds had low toxicity (about 1000-fold less toxic than sodium selenite). The results support earlier studies showing that selenosugar 1 is the major urinary metabolite after increased selenium intake, and they suggest that previously accepted pathways for human metabolism of selenium involving trimethylselenonium ion as the excretionary end product may need to be re-evaluated.     

Synthesis and study of a molecularly imprinted polymer for specific solid‐phase extraction of vinflunine and its metabolite from biological fluids

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was synthesized in order to specifically extract vinflunine, an anticancer agent, and its metabolite (4‐O‐deacetylvinflunine) from bovine plasma and artificial urine by solid‐phase extraction (SPE). Vinorelbine, a non‐fluorinated analogue of vinflunine, was selected as a template for MIP synthesis. The selectivity of MIP versus the template (vinorelbine) and other alkaloids (catharanthine, vinblastine, vincristine, vinflunine and 4‐O‐deacetylvinflunine) was shown by a SPE protocol carried out with non‐aqueous samples. A second protocol was developed for aqueous samples with two consecutive washing steps (AcOH–NH₂OH buffer (pH 7, I=10 mM)–MeOH mixture 95:5 v/v and ACN–AcOH mixture 99:1 v/v) and an elution step (MeOH–AcOH mixture 90:10 v/v). Thus, MIP‐SPE of bovine plasma brought high recoveries, 81 and 89% for vinflunine and its metabolite, respectively. This protocol was slightly modified for artificial urine samples in order to obtain a good MIP/NIP selectivity; furthermore, elution recoveries were 73 and 81% for vinflunine and its metabolite, respectively. Repeatability was assessed in both biological matrices and RSD (%) were inferior to 4%. The MIP also showed a suitable linearity (r² superior to 0.99), between 0.25 and 10 μg/mL for plasma, and between 1 and 5 μg/mL for artificial urine.     

Der Abbau des Insektizides GS 13005 in der Ratte. Strukturaufklärung der wichtigsten Metabolite [1]

The structures of the essential metabolites which are excreted by the rat after oral application of GS 13005 (O,O-dimethyl-S-[(2-methoxy-1,3,4-thiadiazole-5(4H)-one-4-yl)-methyl] dithiophosphate) have been elucidated. The product of final oxidation, CO₂, was found to be the main metabolite (up to 36% of the dose applied). Among the degradation products excreted in the urine (up to 45% of the dose applied) the two most important were isolated. They are 4-methylsulfinylmethyl and 4-methylsulfonylmethyl derivatives respectively of the intact 2-methoxy-1,3,4-thiadiazole-5-one heterocycle (metabolites III and II, in amounts of 20–25% and 5–7% of the dose applied, respectively). These metabolites originate by methylation and subsequent oxidation from the mercaptomethyl derivative liberated after hydrolysis of the P S bond of the dithiophosphoric acid ester.     

Preparation of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) nanofibers modified pencil graphite electrode and investigation of over-oxidation conditions for the selective and sensitive determination of uric acid in body fluids

In this study, we have performed the preparation of over-oxidized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) nanofibers modified pencil graphite electrode (Ox-PEDOT-nf/PGE) to develop a selective and sensitive voltammetric uric acid (UA) sensor. It was noted that the over-oxidation potential and time had a prominent effect on the UA response of the Ox-PEDOT-nf/PGE. Characterizations of PEDOT-nf/PGE and Ox-PEDOT-nf/PGE have been performed by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The highest voltammetric response of UA was obtained at pH 2.0. A linear relationship between the concentration of UA and oxidation peak currents was observed in the concentration range of 0.01–20.0 μM. The detection limit (1.3 nM according to S/N = 3) and reproducibility (RSD: 4.6 % for N:10) have also been determined. The effects of different substances on the determination of UA have been investigated. A very high peak separation value of 423 mV was obtained between UA and ascorbic acid which is the major interfering substance for UA. The use of Ox-PEDOT-nf/PGE has been successfully tested in the determination of UA in human blood serum and urine samples for the first time in the literature.     

Facile Syntheses of the Three Major Metabolites of Thioridazine

Efficient, mild syntheses of the three major metabolites 2 – 4 of the important antipsychotic drug thioridazine ( 1 ) have been developed. The cardiotoxic metabolite 2 with a ring sulfoxide moiety was prepared in 96% yield by oxidation of 1 with NaIO₄ under acidic conditions. Four different procedures were elaborated for the selective side‐chain sulfide oxidation of 1 to mesoridazine ( 3 ), giving rise to yields of up to 91%. Finally, sulforidazine ( 4 ) was synthesised via oxidation of the sulfoxide 3 in the presence of either KMnO₄ or t‐BuOOH under basic conditions. Except for the oxidation with t‐BuOOH, all reactions took place under mild conditions within a few minutes, were nicely reproducible, and afforded medium‐to‐high yields of the desired products, which could be readily purified by column chromatography.     

An expeditious synthesis of quercetin 3-O-β-d-glucuronide from rutin

We report the synthesis of the major human metabolite of quercetin, quercetin 3-O-β-d-glucuronide, from rutin (quercetin-3-rutinoside), which is commercially available at low cost. This straightforward synthesis is based on the key intermediate 3′,4′,5,7-tetra-O-benzyl-quercetin which is obtained in only two steps by the total benzylation of rutin followed by acid hydrolysis of the rutinoside residue. Glycosylation of the free 3 hydroxyl group by 1-bromo-3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-d-glucopyranoside yields the protected glucoside. TEMPO-mediated oxidation of primary alcohol on the deprotected glucoside gives access to the benzylated glucuronide. Removal of the benzyl groups which protect the quercetin hydroxyl groups by H₂ (10% Pd/C) yields quercetin 3-O-β-d-glucuronide.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of L-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-methylalanine (alpha-methyldopa) in human urine and plasma

A procedure is described for the determination of alpha-methyldopa (MD) [L-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-2-methylalanine], its metabolite and catecholamines in the urine and plasma of patients undergoing MD therapy, by high-performance liquid chromatography with dual working electrode coulometric detection. An efficient sample preparation procedure is presented for the isolation of endogenous MD, its metabolite and catecholamines from plasma or urine. After deproteinization of a plasma sample with methanol containing 2% of 0.5 M perchloric acid and dilution of a urine sample (1:200), MD, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), 3-O-methylmethyldopa (3-OMMD) and homovanillic acid (HVA) were separated with a Supelcosil LC-18 column. Catecholamines were extracted from the supernatant of deproteinized plasma or from urine by ion exchange on a Sephadex CM-25 column and subsequent adsorption on alumina. The use of the same mobile phase for the concurrent assay of MD, its metabolite and catecholamines increased considerably the efficiency of sample separation. Recoveries were close to 100% for MD, DOPAC, 3-OMMD and HVA and 70% for catecholamines. The effects of various experimental parameters related to mobile phase composition on chromatographic performance are reported. The purity of the eluted compounds was tested by recording both the first detector response (oxidation current) and the second detector response (reduction current). The ratio of the detector responses yielded a chemical reversibility ratio for the detected compound. A number of applications such as monitoring data from patients under MD therapy are presented.     

The detection of modafinil and its major metabolite in equine urine by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

A method has been developed for the detection of modafinil and its major metabolite, modafinil acid, in equine urine by solid-phase extraction and positive ion electrospray ionisation liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The method has been applied to the analysis of equine urine samples obtained after the oral administration of modafinil. Modafinil acid was the major component in the urine, and was detected up to 4 days post-administration. Unchanged modafinil was present at substantially lower concentrations, and was detected for only 24 hours.     

Voltammetric Determination of Favipiravir Used as an Antiviral Drug for the Treatment of Covid-19 at Pencil Graphite Electrode

This work describes the sensitive voltammetric determination of favipiravir (FAV) based on its reduction for the first time with a low-cost and disposable pencil graphite electrode (PGE). In addition, the determination of FAV was also performed based on its oxidation. Differential pulse (DP) voltammograms recorded in 0.5 M H₂SO₄ for the reduction of FAV show that peak currents increase linearly in the range of 1.0 to 600.0 μM with a limit of detection of 0.35 μM. The acceptable recovery values (98.9–106.0 %) obtained from a pharmaceutical tablet, real human urine, and artificial blood serum samples spiked with FAV confirm the high accuracy of the proposed method.     

Quantification of urinary conjugates of bisphenol A, 2,5-dichlorophenol,and 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone in humans by online solid phase extraction–high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Urinary concentrations of phenols or their metabolites have been used as biomarkers to assess the prevalence of exposure to these compounds in the general population. Total urinary concentrations, which include both free and conjugated (glucuronide and sulfated) forms of the compounds, are usually reported. From a toxicologic standpoint, the relative concentrations of the free species compared with their conjugated analogs can be important because conjugation may reduce the potential biologic activity of the phenols. In this study, we determined the percentage of glucuronide and sulfate conjugates of three phenolic compounds, bisphenol A (BPA), 2,5-dichlorophenol (2,5-DCP), and 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (benzophenone-3, BP-3) in 30 urine samples collected between 2000 and 2004 from a demographically diverse group of anonymous adult volunteers. We used a sensitive on-line solid phase extraction–isotope dilution–high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method. These three phenols were detected frequently in the urine samples tested. Only small percentages of the compounds (9.5% for BPA, and 3% for 2,5-DCP and BP-3) were excreted in their free form. The percentage of the sulfate conjugate was about twice that of the free compound. The glucuronide conjugate was the major metabolite, representing 69.5% (BPA), 89% (2,5-DCP), and 84.6% (BP-3) of the total amount excreted in urine. These results are in agreement with those reported before which suggested that BPA-glucuronide was an important BPA urinary metabolite in humans. To our knowledge, this is the first study describing the distribution of urinary conjugates of BP-3 and 2,5-DCP in humans.     

Microbial transformation of kawain and methysticin

The styryl alpha-pyrones, d-kawain (1) and d-methysticin (2) are two of the major kavalactone constituents of the anxiolvtic herb Piper methysticum, commonly known as kava. The use of fungal models to mimic the mammalian metabolism of 1 resulted in the production of 4'-hydroxykawain (1a) from the culture broth of Cunninghamella elegans (ATCC 9245), the same metabolite identified in rat urine. The fungus Torulopsis petrophilum (ATCC 20225) biotransformed 2 to 3'-hydroxy-4'-methoxykawain (2c) which is analogous, but not identical, to a known rat metabolite of methysticin.     

The Production and Evaluation of an Electrochemical Sensors for Strychnine and Its Main Metabolite Strychnine N-Oxide for Their Use in Biological Samples

Strychnine (STN) and its major metabolite Strychnine N-Oxide (SNO) were examined electrochemically. Both parent compounds and its major metabolite showed electroactivity on glassy carbon electrodes using CV and DPV techniques. One oxidation peak at 1008 mV was observed for STN with the optimum peak intensity at pH 7. SNO produced two oxidation peaks, at 617 mV and 797 mV, at pH 5. The peaks demonstrated irreversible behaviour and the irreversibility of the system was confirmed at different scan rates. A calibration curve was produced for both CV and DPV measurements and the sensitivity of the proposed EC method was good compared with previous electrochemical and non-electrochemical methods. The precision of oxidation peak of STN using the STN-MIP method produced a maximum value of 11.5% and 2.32% for inter-day and intraday %RSD, respectively. The average% recovery was around 92%. The electrochemical method has been successfully applied to the determination of STN in spiked plasma and urine samples. For SNO, both anodic peaks of SNO demonstrated irreversible behaviour. A different sweep rate was used for calculating the number of ‘transfer electrons’ in the system; based on this, the mechanism of oxidation reaction was proposed. Calibration curves for both oxidative peaks were produced using DPV measurements. The second anodic peak demonstrated high linearity and precision with %RSD < 1.96%.     

Simultaneous determination of tranilast and metabolites in plasma and urine using high-performance liquid chromatography

A method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of Tranilast, N-(3',4'-dimethoxycinnamoyl)anthranilic acid (N-5'), and metabolites in plasma and urine from humans, dogs and rodents administered N-5'. Total N-5' and metabolite N-3 conjugates were determined in human urine. Detection limits in plasma were 0.2 micrograms/ml for metabolite N-3-S and N-5' and 0.1 micrograms/ml for metabolites N-3 and N-4. In urine, detection limits were 2 micrograms/ml for metabolite N-3-S and N-5' and 1 micrograms/ml for metabolites N-3 and N-4. Metabolite N-4 was not identified in any sample assayed.     

Validation and application of a method for the determination of nicotine and five major metabolites in smokers' urine by solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

An SPE-LC-MS/MS method was developed, validated and applied to the determination of nicotine and five major metabolites in human urine: cotinine, trans-3'-hydroxycotinine, nicotine-N-glucuronide, cotinine-N-glucuronide and trans-3'-hydroxycotinine-O-glucuronide. A 500 microL urine sample was pH-adjusted with phosphate buffer (1.5 mL) containing nicotine-methyl-d3, cotinine-methyl-d3 and trans-3'-hydroxycotinine-methyl-d3 internal standards. For the unconjugated metabolites, an aliquot (800 microL) of the buffered solution was applied to a 30 mg Oasis HLB-SPE column, rinsed with 2% NH4OH/H2O (3.0 mL) and H2O (3.0 mL) and eluted with methanol (500 microL). The eluate was analyzed isocratically (100% methanol) by LC-MS/MS on a diol column (50 x 2.1 mm). For the total metabolites, a beta-glucuronidase/buffer preparation (100 microL) was added to the remaining buffered solution and incubated at 37 degrees C (20 h). An aliquot (800 microL) of the enzymatically treated buffered solution was extracted and analyzed in the same manner. The conjugated metabolites were determined indirectly by subtraction. The quantitation range of the method (ng/mL) was 14-10,320 for nicotine, 15-9800 for cotinine and 32-19,220 for trans-3'-hydroxycotinine. The validated method was used to observe diurnal variations from a smoker's spot urine samples, elimination half-lives from a smoker's 24 h urine samples and metabolite distribution profiles in the spot and 24 h urine samples.     

Marked individual variability in the levels of trimethylselenonium ion in human urine determined by HPLC/ICPMS and HPLC/vapor generation/ICPMS

Selenium species were determined using HPLC/ICPMS and HPLC/vapor generation/ICPMS in the urine from seven human volunteers investigated at background selenium concentrations and at slightly elevated concentrations after ingestion of 200 μg Se as a selenite supplement. Trimethylselenonium ion (TMSe) was present, together with selenosugars, in the urine samples, a result that dispels recent doubts about its possible previous misidentification with a cationic selenosugar. Although TMSe was present as only a trace metabolite in urine from five of the seven volunteers (0.02–0.28 μg Se/L, equivalent to 1–5% of the sum of selenosugars and TMSe), it was a significant metabolite (up to 4.6 μg Se/L, 22%) in one volunteer, and it was the major identified metabolite (up to 15 μg Se/L, 53%) in another volunteer. This marked individual variability in the formation of TMSe was maintained in a duplicate investigation of urine from the same seven volunteers.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of proquazone and its m-hydroxy metabolite in spiked human plasma and urine

A simple and rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of proquazone (PQZ) and its major metabolite, m-hydroxyproquazone, in spiked human plasma and urine was developed. Plasma samples were purified using acetonitrile as a protein precipitant, while urine samples were diluted only with the mobile phase and filtered prior to injection. Samples containing the parent compounds and glafenine (internal standard) were eluted from a reversed-phase C8 column using acetonitrile-0.025 M sodium acetate (60 + 40) adjusted to pH 5 as the mobile phase and detected at 234 nm. Peak area ratios of the analytes versus internal standard were used for calibration. The mean recoveries from plasma and urine samples spiked with PQZ and its m-hydroxy metabolite ranged from 97.87 to 103.88%. The relative standard deviation for the within- and between-day analyses were < 4%. The proposed method was applied for the assay of PQZ in laboratory-made tablets.