ABSTRACT
This study was undertaken to validate the use of microbial biotransformation systems for drug metabolism studies. Thymoxamine 1 was rapidly hydrolyzed to desacetylthymoxamine (DAT) 2 by numerous fungi. Other known animal metabolites, such as N-desmethyl-desacetylthymoxamine 3 and desacetylthymoxamine-O-sulfate 6, were produced from DAT by Mucor rouxii and Mortierella isabellina. DAT-N-oxide 5, a putative animal microsomal metabolite, was also produced by M. isabellina, in addition, a few strains (such as Actinomucor elegans, Mucor hiemalis, and Mucor janssenii) produced a glycosylated metabolite that was identified by high-resolution 1H- and 13C-NMR, MS, and enzymatic hydrolysis as the corresponding [4-(2-dimethylaminoethoxy)-5-isopropyl-2-methyl-phenyl]-1-beta-D- glucopyranoside 7. A similar glucosylation reaction was observed when thymohydroquinone 10 was incubated with A. elegans. Several strains were able to produce transiently thymohydroquinone from DAT-N-oxide 5, possibly through a beta-elimination mechanism.
Subject(s)
Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists/metabolism , Fungi/metabolism , Moxisylyte/metabolism , Prodrugs/metabolism , Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists/pharmacokinetics , Biotransformation , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical/methods , Moxisylyte/pharmacokinetics , Prodrugs/pharmacokineticsABSTRACT
A cymene-derived drug, 3-[4'-(o-ethoxyphenyl)piperazin-1'-yl]-ethyloxy-p-cymene+ ++ (B1178), is not significantly metabolized by fungal microorganisms. On the contrary, one of its metabolites in rat, 3-(piperazin-1'-yl)ethoxy-p-cymene (B1071), is quantitatively converted by Cunninghamella echinulata NRRL 3655 into two hydroxylated products: the corresponding phenol derivative and a benzylic alcohol derivative. Other strains, such as Beauveria bassiana ATCC 7159 and Mortierella isabellina MMP 108, produce exclusively an N-acetyl derivative in high yield. Results obtained are discussed on the grounds of relative hydrophobicity of substrates vs. fungi metabolism and detoxification capabilities.
