Biotransformation of diethenylbenzenes. I. Identification of the main urinary metabolites of 1,4-diethenylbenzene in the rat.

1. Biotransformation of 1,4-diethenylbenzene (1) in rat was studied. Six urinary metabolites, namely, N-acetyl-S-[2-(4-ethenylphenyl)-2-hydroxyethyl]-L-cysteine (3), N-acetyl-S-[1-(4-ethenylphenyl)-2-hydroxyethyl]-L-cysteine (4), N-acetyl-S-[1-(4-formylphenyl)-2-hydroxyethyl]-L-cysteine (5), 1-(4-ethenylphenyl)ethane-1,2-diol (6), 4-ethenylbenzoic acid (9) and 4-ethenylbenzoyl-glycine (12) were isolated and identified by n.m.r. and mass spectrometry. 2. G.l.c.-mass spectral analysis of the methylated urine extract allowed the identification of four other metabolites, as 4-ethenylphenylacetic acid (11), 4-ethenylphenylacetylglycine (13), 4-ethenylmandelic acid (7), and 4-ethenylphenylglyoxylic acid (8). 3. The structures of the identified metabolites indicate that the main reactive intermediate in the metabolism of 1 is 4-ethenylphenyloxirane (2). The first step in the biotransformation of 1, formation of an oxirane, is very similar to the metabolic activation of styrene. However, subsequent steps lead not only to analogues of styrene metabolites but also to oxidation of the second ethenyl group leading to compound(s) which may contribute to the toxicity of 1, e.g. to the aldehyde 5. 4. Rats dosed with a single i.p. dose of 1 excreted nearly 5.6% of the dose as the glycine conjugate 12, irrespective of the dose. 5. In contrast, the total thioether fraction decreased significantly with increasing dose, being 23 +/- 3, 17 +/- 5 and 12 +/- 1% of dose at 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg, respectively (mean +/- SD).

Alkaloids and Phenolics of Colchicum cilicicum1,2.

The distributions of the alkaloids colchicine, 2-demethylcolchicine, 3-demethylcolchicine, demecolcine, 2-demethyldemecolcine, and 3-demethyldemecolcine in the corms, stems, leaves, flowers, and seeds of COLCHICUM CILICICUM were analysed by HPLC. In addition, the alkaloids cornigerine, N-formyl- N-deacetylcolchicine, N-methyl-demecolcine, beta-lumicolchicine, gamma-lumicolchicine, beta-lumidemecolcine, gamma-lumidemecolcine, and N-ethoxycarbonyldemecolcine were identified, the last named being reported for the first time from a COLCHICUM species. The flavones luteolin and apigenin were isolated and benzoic, 2-hydroxy-6-methoxybenzoic, and vanillic acids were also detected.

[Mass poisoning with an agrochemical]. / Hromadná otrava agrochemikálií.

A person showed signs of cholinesterase blockade after having a cup of coffee. Authors succeeded in proving an insecticide Lannate 90 WS in coffee grounds by mass spectrometry and thin-layer chromatography . The compound was later found in a table located in the building where intoxication had occurred and more persons had suffered from a sudden disease with similar signs previously.

Reaction of solid carrier-adsorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with gaseous low-concentrated nitrogen dioxide.

The interaction of gaseous NO2 with solid carrier-adsorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was studied under laboratory conditions with a specific attention to factors that might possibly influence this reaction, such as type of carrier lighting conditions, NO2 concentration, exposure time, and temperature. At the NO2 concentration of 1.33 ppm there were detected the following nitro derivatives: nitroanthracene, nitropyrene, nitrochrysene, two mononitro derivatives of benzo/a/pyrene, and dinitrobenzo/a/pyrene. The experimental data suggest that the formation of nitroaromates in atmospheric environment is to be expected, provided that there are present, besides polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, also suitable types of sorbents, such as silica gel or fly ash.