Determination of the in vitro metabolism of (+)- and (-)-epibatidine

The oxidative in vitro metabolism of epibatidine was investigated using liver microsomes from rat, dog, rhesus monkey and human. Analysis was performed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) using both achiral and chiral stationary phases. Comparison of the metabolism of the (+)- and (-)-enantiomers revealed species differences in the extent of metabolism, with rhesus monkey>dog>rat=human. Furthermore, differences in the routes of metabolism for epibatidine enantiomers were also observed, with mass spectra consistent with hydroxylation of the azabicycle for (-)-epibatidine and with the formation of diastereomeric N-oxides for (+)-epibatidine being obtained. For chiral LC-MS, a volatile ion-pair reagent of heptafluorobutyric acid was used in place of pentanesulphonic acid with no deterioration in chiral selectivity. Analysis of the same samples by chiral LC-MS revealed no evidence for metabolic chiral interconversion and chiral analysis from a metabolic time course of racemic material revealed enantiomers to be metabolised to approximately the same extent. Such findings may be important particularly should epibatidine be investigated in non-rodent species.