Biotransformation of alprenolol in dog, guinea-pig and rat liver microsomes

Biotransformation of terodiline I. Identification of metabolites in dog urine by mass spectrometry

Nine metabolites of terodiline (N-tert-butyl-4,4-diphenyl-2-butylamine) have been identified in dog urine by various chromatographic techniques and mass spectrometry. The main metabolic pathway is aromatic hydroxylation, leading to the quantitatively most important metabolite, N-tert-butyl-4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4-phenyl-2-butylamine, and to two dihydroxylated metabolites, one mono substituted in both rings (N-tert-butyl-4,4'-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butylamine), and one disubstituted in one ring (N-tert-butyl-4-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-4-phenyl-2-butylamine). The latter is further metabolized by methylation, forming N-tert-butyl-4-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-4-phenyl-2-butylamine, the second most abundant metabolite. Still another metabolite is formed by hydroxylation in the tert-butyl group to N-(2-hydroxymethyl-2-propyl)-4,4-diphenyl-2-butylamine. A very minor dihydroxylated metabolite results from oxidation both in an aromatic ring and in the tert-butyl group, giving N-(2-hydroxymethyl-2-propyl)-4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4-phenyl-2-butylamine. Oxidation of the carbon adjacent to the nitrogen and subsequent deamination gives the two ketones 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4-phenyl-2-butanone and 4-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-4-phenyl-2-butanone. Reduction of the carbonyl function in the former yields the corresponding alcohol, 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4-phenyl-2-butanol. Some unchanged terodiline is also present. All metabolites formed by functionalization appear to be extensively conjugated, presumably with glucuronic acid.

Simultaneous determination of metoprolol and metabolites in urine by capillary column gas chromatography as oxazolidineone and trimethylsilyl derivatives

A method for the determination of metoprolol and its main metabolites in urine is presented. The method comprises derivatization of the aminopropanol side-chain with phosgene at alkaline pH and isolation in an organic phase at acidic pH. After trimethylsilylation, separation and quantification are performed by capillary column gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. The reaction is performed at pH 12 with 60 microliters of 2 M phosgene in toluene added in three portions. Diethyl ether--dichloromethane is used as extraction medium and bis(trimethylsilyl) acetamide as silylating agent. With spiked samples linear standard curves were obtained for metoprolol and three of its main metabolites with a detection limit varying between 4 and 20 mumol/l of urine. The method was applied to urine samples from a normal individual who had taken 292 mumol of metoprolol as tartrate.

Determination of the alpha, beta-adrenoceptor blocker YM-09538 in urine by gas chromatography with a nitrogen-sensitive detector

A gas chromatographic method for the quantitative determination of the alpha, beta-adrenoceptor blocker YM-09538 in urine is described. YM-09538 was extracted from alkalinized urine with ethyl acetate and converted to its cyclic methylboronate derivative. Analysis by gas chromatography using a nitrogen-sensitive detector allowed quantitation of the drug over a concentration range of 0.2-5.0 micrograms/ml. Urinary excretion of YM-09538 was determined in humans after oral administration of 50 mg.

Gas chromatography with nitrogen-selective detection of metoprolol from human plasma after reaction with phosgene

A method for the determination of therapeutic levels of metoprolol in human plasma is presented. Metoprolol and the internal standard are extracted from the buffered plasma sample to an organic phase containing 4 X 10(-3) M phosgene. After 10 min the organic phase is taken to dryness. The residue is dissolved in ethyl acetate and the formed oxazolidine derivatives are analyzed by gas chromatography with nitrogen-selective detection. With packed columns, rectilinear standard curves through the origin were obtained down to 80 nmoles/l of plasma. The precision of the method at 200 nmoles/l was 1.5% (n = 8). The sensitivity of the method was improved by using capillary column gas chromatography. Linear standard curves were obtained down to 10 nmoles/l of metoprolol in plasma. The precision of the method at the 50 nmoles/l level was 2.2% (n = 7). With this simple and straightforward method using extractive derivatization 30 samples can be handled in a day.

Formation of electron-capturing derivatives of alprenolol by transboronation: application to the determination of alprenolol in plasma

The reaction between 2,4-dichlorobenzeneboronic acid, 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzeneboronic acid or the 1,3-propanediamine derivatives of the boronic acids and the 3-isopropylaminopropan-2-ol side chain of the beta-blocking drugs occurs essentially as an on-column thermal reaction in the gas phase. Derivatization of the side chain of the beta-blocking drugs by transboronation is shown to be the method of choice for general application as it affects the detector background signal very little compared to the use of the boronic acid itself. The transboronation reaction can be used for the determination of alprenolol in plasma extracts with a detection limit of 2.5 ng ml-1 using the electron-capture detector. The ultimate sensitivity of the method is limited by the detector background signal resulting from some column decomposition of the transboronation reagent.

Identification of urinary and biliary metabolites of alprenolol in the rat

1. After oral administration of alprenolol to rat, 12 metabolites were isolated and characterized as trifluoroacetyl, trimethylsilyl and n-butylboronate derivatives, using a g.l.c.-mass spectrometry-computer system. Fragmentation pathways of derivatives in the mass-spectrometric analysis are discussed. 2. Metabolic reactions involved are oxidative degradation of the propanolisopropylamine side-chain, aromatic hydroxylation, oxidation of the allyl group, and conjugation. A method for direct analysis of epoxide functions in the allyl group is described. 3. In comparison with metabolism of alprenolol in vitro, more polar metabolites are formed in vivo but the same principal metabolic pathways are valid. Structural features for biliary excretion are discussed.