Metabolism of neostigmine in vitro

[Investigations into the distribution of neohistamine methylsulfate in the organism of the warm blooded animals following its intragastric administration]

The objective - of the present study was to elucidate the specific features of the distribution of neohistamine methylsulfate (proserin) in the organism of the omnivorous warm blooded animals following its intragastric administration. The analytical methods included TLC, HPLC, and UV-spectrophotometry. Neohistamine methylsulfate was administered intrgastrically to the male Wistar rats at a dose equivalent to the triple LD₅₀ dose. The substance of interest was extracted by acetone from the biological matrices of the dead animals and purified by sequential treatment with the relevant solvents and chromatography in a thin layer of the reverse-phase sorbent (C₁₄-C₁₅ bonded phase model) with the elution in the buffer solution (pH 1.98) - acetone (8:2) system. The compound of interest was identified based on the Rf values (obtained by TLC), retention time (in HPLC), and the spectral characteristics. The quantitative determination of the analyte in the biomatrices was performed with the use of UV spectrophotometry. The analytical methods were validated based on the criteria for linearity, selectivity, correctness, and precision as well as detection threshold and results of quantitation. The largest amount of the study compound were determined in the heart (365.2±33.94 mcg/g), spleen (288.6±24.97 mcg/g), kidney (127.6±9.33 mcg/g), and the gastric walls (124.6±12.17 mcg/g) of the experimental animals.

Qualitative structure-metabolism relationships in the hydrolysis of carbamates

The aims of this review were 1) to compile a large number of reliable literature data on the metabolic hydrolysis of medicinal carbamates and 2) to extract from such data a qualitative relation between molecular structure and lability to metabolic hydrolysis. The compounds were classified according to the nature of their substituents (R³OCONR¹R²), and a metabolic lability score was calculated for each class. A trend emerged, such that the metabolic lability of carbamates decreased (i.e., their metabolic stability increased), in the following series: Aryl-OCO-NHAlkyl >> Alkyl-OCO-NHAlkyl ~ Alkyl-OCO-N(Alkyl)₂ ≥ Alkyl-OCO-N(endocyclic) ≥ Aryl-OCO-N(Alkyl)₂ ~ Aryl-OCO-N(endocyclic) ≥ Alkyl-OCO-NHAryl ~ Alkyl-OCO-NHAcyl >> Alkyl-OCO-NH₂ > Cyclic carbamates. This trend should prove useful in the design of carbamates as drugs or prodrugs.

Metabolism and exretion of 3-hydroxyphenyltrimethylammonium and neostigmine

1. Carbon-14 labelled 3-hydroxyphenyltrimethylammonium (3-OH PTMA), an active metabolite of neostigmine, has been given to rats by intramuscular injection and its excretion, distribution and metabolism have been studied.2. A method is described for the separation and estimation of free and conjugated 3-OH PTMA in urine and liver.3. In the first hour, about 20% of a dose is excreted in the urine as free 3-OH PTMA and thereafter the rate of excretion of glucuronide conjugate exceeds that of free 3-OH PTMA. In 24 hr 76.8% of the dose is excreted in urine mainly as the conjugate.4. The peak concentration of radioactivity in blood occurs within 30 min and in liver within 1 hr after administration. More than 90% of the radioactivity in liver occurs as the glucuronide conjugate. Relatively high concentrations of radioactivity were found in liver and heart.5. In the hen 3-OH PTMA is rapidly excreted by renal tubular secretion.6. Experiments with carbon-14 labelled neostigmine show that up to 1 hr mainly unchanged neostigmine is excreted in urine; thereafter increasing amounts of free 3-OH PTMA and its glucuronide conjugate are excreted.7. It is concluded that the duration of action of neostigmine is determined by its rapid renal excretion and by its metabolism to the glucuronide conjugate of 3-OH PTMA.