The reaction of phenylhydrazine with microsomal cytochrome P-450. Catalysis of heme modification.

Phenylhydrazine interacted with oxidized and reduced cytochrome P-450 of rat liver microsomes to produce binding difference spectra typical of many nitrogenous compounds. The phenylhydrazine-induced difference spectrum observed with oxidized microsomal cytochrome P-450 was converted, in a time-dependent process, to yield a new spectral intermediate with an absorbance maximum around 480 nm. The time required to form this new phenylhydrazine-induced spectral intermediate was decreased from hours to minutes when either NADPH or NADH was added to the reaction mixture. Phenyldiazene generated by addition of the decarboxylation product of methyl phenyldiazenecarboxylate or by addition of potassium ferricyanide and phenylhydrazine (2:1 molar equivalents) instantly formed the new spectral intermediate. This suggests that phenyldiazene is formed during the NADPH-dependent reaction. The appearance of the new spectral intermediate occurred concomitant with the loss of CO-reactive cytochrome P-450 (less than 90%) and loss of absorbance at 418 nm. The interpretation of the optical spectral changes was supported by a loss of the low spin signals characteristic of oxidized cytochrome P-450 as determined by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The loss of CO-reactive cytochrome P-450 apparently resulted from the formation of a binary complex of phenyldiazene and the heme of oxidized cytochrome P-450 giving rise to the 480 nm spectral intermediate. In addition, the diazene-bound heme of cytochrome P-450 apparently was modified irreversibly in the presence of oxygen. The effects observed with phenylhydrazine could be produced to a lesser degree by other hydrazine derivatives. The possible role of phenylhydrazine as a new type of suicide substrate is discussed.

4-Hydroxylation of nitrofurantoin in the rat. A 3-methylcholanthrene-inducible pathway of a relatively nontoxic compound.

When nitrofurantoin was administered daily to rats, the urinary excretion of unmetabolized drug was significantly decreased after induction by 3-methylcholanthrene or beta-naphthoflavone, but was not altered after treatment with phenobarbital. In urine samples taken 36 hr after a single dose of 14C-nitrofurantoin in rats induced with 3-methylcholanthrene, the total excretion of radioactivity (30% of dose) was the same as in noninduced rats. The proportion of unchanged nitrofurantoin, however, was only 33% of the radioactivity recovered in urine from 3-methylcholanthrene-treated animals whereas in urine from control animals 76% of the activity could be attributed to the unmetabolized drug. In 6-hr urine samples one metabolite was present to a detectable extent only in urine from 3-methylcholanthrene-treated animals. The metabolite was identified as the 4-hydroxy derivative of nitrofurantoin. 4-Hydroxylation of nitrofurantoin may find use as indicator reaction for a 3-methylcholanthrene-type induction state under in vivo conditions.

Enhancement of reductive metabolism of p-nitrobenzoate and nitrazepam in isolated perfused rat liver by ethanol.

Reductive metabolism of p-nitrobenzoate (2 mM) was studied in the isolated perfused rat liver, after acute ethanol dosing, with use of a hemoglobin-free perfusion medium. Formation of reduced metabolites under control conditions (0.3 mumol per g of liver per hr) was enhanced fivefold (1.4 mumol/g/hr) in the presence of ethanol (38 mM), thus reaching hepatic reductase activities occurring under anaerobic conditions (1.4 mumol/g/hr). Ethanol failed to increase hepatic nitro reduction when alcohol dehydrogenase was inhibited by pyrazole. Addition of acetaldehyde led to a marked stimulation of nitroreductase activity. Carbon monoxide did not influence the ethanol-mediated enhancement of nitroreductase activity but almost abolished the enhancement caused by anoxia. Reductive azo cleavage of salazosulfamide was not enhanced by ethanol. When nitrazepam was used as the substrate (1 mM) for the isolated perfused rat liver, addition of ethanol (38 mM) led to an enhanced content of 7-amino derivative in the liver and in the perfusate, whereas the formation of 7-acetylamino derivative remained unchanged. The distribution of nitrazepam in liver and perfusate was not altered by ethanol.

Differential inhibition of biphenyl hydroxylation in perfused rat liver.

A differential inhibition of biphenyl hydroxylation by alpha-naphthoflavone and metyrapone was observed in isolated perfused rat liver. alpha-Naphthoflavone inhibited 2- and 4-hydroxylation in livers from beta-naphthoflavone-pretreated animals but had no effect on both reactions in livers from phenobarbital-pretreated animals. Metyrapone inhibited 2- and 4-hydroxylation in phenobarbital-stimulated livers, but only insignificant inhibition of 2-hydroxylation and a slight enhancement of 4-hydroxylation by metyrapone was observed in beta-naphthoflavone-stimulated livers. Conjugation of 2-hydroxybiphenyl and 4-hydroxybiphenyl by isolated perfused livers was also studied. 4-Hydroxybiphenyl preferentially formed sulphates in livers from untreated animals but after induction glucuronidation was as effective as sulphation or even exceeded sulphation. Only glucuronic acid conjugates of 2-hydroxybiphenyl were detected.

Reductive drug metabolism in isolated perfused rat liver under restricted oxygen supply.

1. Hepatic azo and nitro reductase activities were studied in the perfused rat liver under normal and restricted oxygen supply. 2. Formation of sulphanilamide or p-aminobenzoic acid from neoprontosil or p-nitrobenzoic acid under aerobic conditions of liver perfusion was negligible, even at a reduced oxygen saturation of a pO2 of 300 mm Hg in the haemoglobinfree perfusion system. At a pO2 of 200 mm Hg reductase activities were almost maximal. 3. Conjugation of sulphanilamide (0-08 mM) was similar under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Hepatic elimination of p-aminobenzoic acid (0-08 mM) showed an oxygen-dependent increase for 15 min after addition of substrate. 4. p-Nitroanisole demethylation was inhibited 80% under hypoxic perfusion at 200 mm Hg pO2 and was completely inhibited after gassing with anoxic mixtures. 5. Restitution of aerobic conditions after 30 min anaerobic perfusion restored hepatic respiration, lactate pyruvate ratio, and pH value to levels found under aerobic conditions, but bile flow remained 50% reduced.

Enhancement of nitro reduction in rat liver microsomes by haemin and haemoproteins.

1. Reductive metabolism of p-nitrobenzoic acid and neoprontosil in rat liver microsomes was studied in the presence of haemin, haemoglobin and myoglobin. 2. Microsomal nitro reduction is enhanced 4-fold in the presence of haemoglobin, whereas azo reduction is not affected. 3. Microsomal nitro reduction is enhanced to a similar extent by haemoglobin, haemin and boiled haemoglobin, whereas myoglobin is about half as active. 4. Maximal enhancement of microsomal nitro reductase activity by haemoglobin is achieved at high substrate concentration (6 mM) and low microsomal protein concentration (0.5--1.0 mg/ml). 5. Control microsomal nitro reduction as well as the haemoglobin-enhanced microsomal nitro reduction are inhibited completely by O2 and CO whereas potassium azide as a ligand of ferric haem iron is a less potent inhibitor.

Interruption of the enterohepatic circulation of phenprocoumon by cholestyramine.

The effect of cholestyramine (12 gm/day divided into 3 doses) on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a single intravenouse dose (30 mg) of phenprocoumon was studied in 6 normal subjects. Cholestyramine treatment led to an increase in the rate of elimination of phenprocoumon in all. Total clearance increased 1.5- to 2-fold. The total anticoagulant effect per dose was considerably reduced during treatment with cholestyramine. Binding studies in vitro showed that phenprocoumon is strongly bound to cholestyramine and that at a given cholestyramine concentration the percentage of phenprocoumon bound remained constant over a large concentration range of phenprocoumon. The results suggest that phenprocoumon undergoes extensive enterohepatic recycling in man which can be effectively interrupted by cholestyramine.

Interference by acetaminophen in the glucose oxidase-peroxidase method for blood glucose determination.

Acetaminophen, p-aminophenol, and oxyphenbutazone interfere with the glucose oxidase/peroxidase method for glucose. Structurally related compounds that lack a free phenolic hydroxyl group (acetanilide, aniline, and phenylbutazone) do not interfere. During the analytical procedure acetaminophen is consumed. One mole of acetaminophen leads to an apparent loss of four moles of glucose. The hexokinase/glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase method (Boehringer Hexokinase method) is not affected by these substances.

Enhancement of microsomal aniline and acetanilide hydroxylation by haemoglobin.

1. Haemogloblin and myoglobin enhance rat liver microsomal p-hydroxylation of aniline and acetanilide. Microsomal N-demethylation of ethylmorphine and aminopyrine is not increased by haemoproteins. 2. The enhancement of microsomal p-hydroxylation is maximal at high substrate concentration and high haeme compound concentration. 3. Detergent-purified NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, free flavins and manganese ions considerably increase the haemoglobin-mediated, tissue-free hydroxylation of aniline. Microsomal aniline hydroxylation is not enhanced by haeme, ferric ion or albumin. 4 Catalase and cyanide ions are powerful inhibitors of haemoglobin-mediated aniline hydroxylation both in the presence and absence of tissue. Carbon monoxide inhibits the hydroxylase activity of the tissue-free system to a smaller extent than that of a system containing microsomes plus haemoglobin whereas p-chloromercuribenzoate inhibits only the flavoprotein-dependent hydroxylation of aniline mediated by haemoglobin. 5. Several possibilities of interactions between substrate, microsomes and haeme compounds are proposed.

Elimination and distribution of phenylbutazone in rats during the course of adjuvant-induced arthritis.

The elimination and distribution of phenylbutazone after administration of a single intravenous dose of 25 mg/kg was investigated before and at different stages of adjuvant-induced arthritis in the same group of rats. In other groups which were studied concurrently, the cytochrome P-450 and b5 levels and ethylmorphine demethylation of liver microsomes were determined. Total plasma protein and albumin concentrations were monitored and the binding of phenylbutazone to plasma proteins was investigated. In the acute phase of adjuvant-induced arthritis, there was 1) a pronounced decrease in the elimination rate of phenylbutazone and 2) a marked increase in the apparent volume of distribution. The former could be explained by a reduced rate of hepatic biotransformation of phenylbutazone. A pronounced decrease in the microsomal cytochrome content and a slow rate of ethylmorphine demethylation is in agreement with this assumption. The latter appeared to be a result of the reduced binding capacity of the rat plasma due to the decrease in albumin concentration. The cytochrome content of liver microsomes and the plasma albumin concentration, however, were restored when arthritis reached its chronic phase. Consequently, an impairment of the elmination and distribution of phenylbutazone was no longer apparent.