ABSTRACT
<p><b>AIM</b>To identify the main metabolites of hydrochloride 4-methyl-piperazine-1-carbodithioc acid 3-cyano-3,3-diphenyl-propyl ester (TM208) in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Rat feces, urine and plasma samples were collected after ig 500 mg x kg(-1) TM208, then the samples were extracted and concentrated using ethyl acetate. The treated samples were analyzed by HPLC-ESI/ITMSn. The structures of metabolites were elucidated according to the rules of drug metabolism and disposition in vivo and the characteristic fragmentation behaviors of TM208 in ESI-ITMSn.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Eight phase I metabolites were identified existing in rat feces, five of them were also found in rat urine and plasma, but no phase II metabolite was found.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The HPLC-ESI/ITMSn method is rapid, highly sensitive and specific and it is suitable for the identification of TM208 and its metabolites in rats.</p>