Associations between urinary concentrations of benzothiazole, benzotriazole, and their derivatives and lung cancer: A nested case-control study.

Benzothiazole (BTH), benzotriazole (BTR), and their respective derivatives (BTHs and BTRs) are emerging environmental pollutants with widespread human exposure and oncogenic potential. Studies have demonstrated adverse effects of exposure to certain BTHs and BTRs on the respiratory system. However, no study has examined the associations between exposure to BTHs and BTRs and lung cancer risk. We aimed to examine the associations between urinary concentrations of BTHs and BTRs and the risk of lung cancer in the general population from Quzhou, China. We conducted a nested case-control study in an ongoing prospective Quzhou Environmental Exposure and Human Health (QEEHH) cohort, involving 20, 694 participants who provided urine samples during April 2019-July 2020. With monthly follow-up until November 2022, 212 lung cancer cases were recruited and 1:1 matched with healthy controls based on age and sex. We estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of lung cancer risk associated with urinary BTHs and BTRs concentrations using conditional logistic regression models after controlling for potential covariates. We also examined effect modification by several covariates, including sex, socioeconomic status, smoking status, alcohol consumption, and dietary habit. Creatinine-corrected urinary BTH and 2-hydroxy-benzothiazole (2-OH-BTH) levels were significantly associated with the risk of lung cancer, after adjusting for a variety of covariates. Participants in the highest quartile of BTH had a 95% higher risk of lung cancer, compared with those in the lowest quartile (adjusted OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.08-3.49; p for trend = 0.01). Participants with higher levels of urinary 2-OH-BTH had an 83% higher risk of lung cancer than those with lower levels (adjusted OR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.16-2.88; p for trend = 0.01). Exposure to elevated levels of BTH and 2-OH-BTH may be associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. These associations were not modified by socio-demographic characteristics.

2-Mercaptobenzothiazole in urine of children and adolescents in Germany - Human biomonitoring results of the German Environmental Survey 2014-2017 (GerES V).

2-Mercaptobenzothiazole (2-MBT) is widely used as a vulcanisation accelerator and is contained in many products made from natural rubber, e.g. car tires. Additionally, it is used as a fungicide in paint or fibre. Systemically human exposure to 2-MBT can occur via dermal and oral uptake or inhalation. Locally, 2-MBT can cause skin sensitisation. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified 2-MBT as probably carcinogenic to humans. 516 urine samples of 3- to 17-year-old children and adolescents living in Germany were analysed for the concentration of 2-MBT in the population representative German Environmental Survey for Children and Adolescents 2014-2017 (GerES V). 2-MBT was quantified above the limit of quantification (LOQ) of 1.0 µg/L in 50% of the 516 samples analysed. The geometric mean of urinary 2-MBT concentration was 1.018 µg/L and 0.892 µg/gcreatinine, the arithmetic mean was 1.576 µg/L (1.351 µg/gcrea). The median concentration was below the LOQ. Analyses of subgroups revealed higher 2-MBT concentrations in children aged 3-5 years compared to 14- to 17-year-old adolescents. All urinary 2-MBT concentrations were well below the health-based guidance value HBM-I for children of 4.5 µg/L. Therefore, current exposure levels are - according to current knowledge - not of concern. For the first time, reference values can be derived for 2-MBT for children and adolescents in Germany. This will facilitate to recognise changing exposure levels in this population group in Germany and identification of unusually high exposures.

Profiles, variability, and predictors of urinary benzotriazoles and benzothiazoles in pregnant women from Wuhan, China.

BACKGROUND: Benzotriazoles (BTRs) and benzothiazoles (BTHs) are emerging contaminants with high production volume worldwide, which exhibit potential health risk to human. To date, little is known about the exposure of BTRs and BTHs (BTs) on human, especially in the context of pregnancy. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to characterize the exposure profiles, temporal variability, and potential predictors of urinary BTs during pregnancy. METHODS: Between 2014 and 2015, we recruited 856 pregnant women in Wuhan who provided urine samples at three trimesters (13.1 ±â€¯1.1, 23.7 ±â€¯3.2, and 35.7 ±â€¯3.4 gestational weeks). We measured the urinary concentrations of five BTRs (1­H­benzotriazole, 1­hydroxy­benzotriazole, xylyltriazole, tolyltriazole, 5­chloro­1­H­benzotriazole) and five BTHs (benzothiazole, 2­hydroxy­benzothiazole, 2­methylthio­benzothiazole, 2­amino­benzothiazole, 2­thiocyanomethylthio­benzothiazole) to characterize the exposure profiles of BTs. We calculated the intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) to assess the temporal variability and investigated potential predictors of urinary BTs by using the mixed models. RESULTS: Most of the targeted BTs were detected in over 50% of urine samples, except for 5­chloro­1­H­benzotriazole (9.3%) and 2­thiocyanomethylthio-benzothiazole (1.4%). The predominant BTRs in urine was 1­hydroxy­benzotriazole [Geometric Mean (GM): 0.77 ng/mL]. Benzothiazole was the major derivative in urine samples with a GM concentration of 1.6 ng/mL. Correlations among BTHs (r = 0.04-0.39) were higher than that among BTRs (r = 0.02-0.14). The exposure pattern was constant at low level and co-exposure to all the targeted compounds was infrequent during pregnancy. Urinary concentrations of BTRs exhibited considerable within-subject variation (ICCs: 0.12-0.56) during pregnancy. Relatively high temporal reliability was observed for urinary concentrations of BTHs with ICCs ranging from 0.42 to 0.85. It was found that parity, household income, pregnancy occupational status, sampling season and menstrual cycle were associated with urinary concentrations of BTs in pregnant women (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the exposure profiles, variability and predictors of urinary BTs among pregnant women. Exposure assessment using multiple samples is essential in reducing measurement errors and identifying susceptible window of exposure in etiological studies. The potential predictors of urinary BTs raised concerns on tracing exposure routes and eliminating confounding variables in future studies.

Serum and Urine Thioflavin-T-Enhanced Fluorescence in Severe Preeclampsia.

Common features of amyloid-like proteotoxic aggregates are the ability to bind Congo red (congophilia) and to induce fluorescence of thioflavin-T (ThT). Based on the prior discovery that women with preeclampsia exhibit urine congophilia, we proposed that amyloid-like protein aggregates present in urine also circulate in the bloodstream and this feature is linked to disease severity and clinical phenotype. ThT fluorescence was investigated in 217 paired serum and urine samples from women with severe features of preeclampsia (n=101; median [interquartile range] gestational age [GA], 32 [29-35] weeks), mild features of preeclampsia (n=22; GA, 36 [36-37] weeks), chronic hypertension (n=15; GA, 38 [37-39] weeks), healthy pregnant controls (n=57; GA, 39 [38-39] weeks), and nonpregnant controls (n=22). Serum and urine fluorescence attributable to advanced glycation end products was measured in the same samples with correction for autofluorescence. There were no GA-related changes in ThT fluorescence, although near-term serum ThT fluorescence increased compared with nonpregnant state. Compared with healthy pregnant controls, serum and urine ThT fluorescence was increased in severe features of preeclampsia (P<0.001 for both) but not in mild features of preeclampsia or chronic hypertension. Except for chronic hypertension, advanced glycation end products-related fluorescence of serum or urine did not differ from controls. Urine congophilia had a stronger relationship with preeclampsia severity compared with either urine or serum ThT fluorescence. However, serum ThT fluorescence was independently associated with clinical features of hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme levels, and low platelet levels syndrome (P=0.003). We demonstrate that ThT fluorescence, a marker of amyloid-like aggregates, is increased in serum of women with preeclampsia and likely because of their cytotoxicity associated with hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme levels, and low platelet levels syndrome.

Benzotriazoles and benzothiazoles in paired maternal urine and amniotic fluid samples from Tianjin, China.

Benzotriazoles (BTRs) and benzothiazoles (BTHs) are two groups of heterocyclic compounds that are widely detected in the environment. In this study, the levels of BTRs and BTHs in 79 paired maternal urine and amniotic fluid samples from Tianjin were investigated. BTRs were detected in most maternal urine samples, with a median concentration of ∑BTRs of 0.88 ng/mL. BTH was detected in all maternal urine samples, with a median concentration of 1.35 ng/mL. Tolyltriazole (TTR, i.e., the sum of 4-methyl-1H-benzotriazole and 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole) and BTH were detected in amniotic fluid with detection rates (DRs) > 50% and median concentrations of 0.026 and 0.61 ng/mL, respectively. The median concentrations of ∑BTRs and ∑BTHs (0.026 and 0.72 ng/mL) in amniotic fluid were lower than those in maternal urine. The median ratio of the ∑BTRs concentrations in amniotic fluid to those in maternal urine was 0.030, with a range of 0.017-1.82, while the median value for TTR, BTH and 5-Cl-1H-BTR were 0.12, 0.46, and 1.43, respectively. This indicates greater distribution in fetal excretion to 5-Cl-1H-BTR than BTH and TTR. The concentrations of ∑BTRs in maternal urine exhibited significant distribution differences (p < 0.05) with respect to some parameters, including maternal age, gestational week, gravidity, parity, and fetal weight. However, no significant correlations (p > 0.05) were observed in target compounds in amniotic fluid for the epidemiological factors assessed herein. The geometric means of the estimated daily intakes were 1.15 (0.052-7.66) µg/day and 1.92 (0.027-6.64) µg/day for ∑BTRs and ∑BTHs in present study, which are lower than those reported in previous study.

Determination of benzotriazoles and benzothiazoles in human urine by UHPLC-TQMS.

Benzotriazole (BTR) and benzothiazole (BTH) derivatives are extensively applied in industrial processes and consumer products, and are thus frequently detected in the environmental matrices. Due to their potential estrogenic effects reported in animal studies, the assessment of human exposure to BTRs and BTHs is important. In this study, a method was developed and validated to determine six BTRs and five BTHs in human urine by using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-TQMS) in positive electrospray ionization mode. After de-conjugation by ß-glucuronidase, urine samples were liquid-liquid extracted for the measurement of total concentrations of BTRs and BTHs. The linearity, detection limit, precision, recovery, accuracy and matrix effect were evaluated. The limits of detection were less than 0.5ng/mL. The validated method demonstrated good precision (RSD%<15%), linearity (R2>0.99), recovery (>80%) and accuracy (80-100%). The method was successfully applied for the analysis of 22 human urine samples. Four out of eleven targeted compounds were detected in more than half of participants at ng/mL levels.

New specific and sensitive biomonitoring methods for chemicals of emerging health relevance.

In this publication the challenges to cope for the aim to obtain innovative biomonitoring methods in our laboratory are visualized for di(2-propylheptyl)phthalate, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxytoluene, 4-nonylphenol, 4-tert-octylphenol, 3-(4-methylbenzylidene)camphor, 4,4'-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, and Hexabromocyclododecane. For these substances new specific markers were explored based on animal or human kinetic data with urine being the preferred matrix compared to blood. The determination of these markers was complex in all cases, because the sample preparation as well as the detection by high performance liquid chromatography, capillary gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometers or high resolution mass spectrometry should enable the lowest possible detection limit by use of minimal biological sample volumes. To get a first hint of a possible background level, the analytical methods were applied to urine samples of about 40 persons for each chemical. For Di(2-propylheptyl)phthalate and 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole first results are presented from population biomonitoring.

The cooperative effect of reduced graphene oxide and Triton X-114 on the electromembrane microextraction efficiency of Pramipexole as a model analyte in urine samples.

A new design of electromembrane microextraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography was developed for the determination of Pramipexole as a model analyte in urine samples. The presence of reduced graphene oxide in the membrane and Triton X-114 in the donor phase augments the extraction efficiency of Pramipexole by the proposed method. Dispersed reduced graphene oxide in the organic solvent was held in the pores of the fiber wall by capillary forces and sonication. It is possible that the immobilized reduced graphene oxide acts as a sorbent, affording an additional pathway for analyte transportation. Besides, the presence of Triton X-114 in the donor phase promotes effective migration of ionic analytes across the membrane. The parameters influencing the extraction procedure, such as type and concentration of surfactant, type of organic solvent, amount of reduced graphene oxide, sonication time, applied voltage, extraction time, ionic strength, pH of the donor and acceptor solutions, and stirring rate were optimized. The linear working ranges of the method for preconcentration- determination of Pramipexole in water and urine samples were found to be 0.13-1000 and 0.47-1000ngmL-1 with corresponding detection limits of 0.04 and 0.14ngmL-1, respectively. The proposed method allows achieving enrichment factors of 301 and 265 for preconcentration of the analyte in water and urine samples, respectively. The method was successfully applied for the determination of Pramipexole in the urine samples.

[A Study of 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole (2-MBT) and HBM values for 2-MBT in the urine of adults and children: Opinion of the "Human Biomonitoring" Commission of the German Federal Environment Agency]. / Stoffmonographie für 2-Mercaptobenzothiazol (2-MBT) und HBM-Werte für 2-MBT im Urin von Erwachsenen und Kindern : Stellungnahme der Kommission "Human-Biomonitoring" des Umweltbundesamtes.

2-Mercaptobenzothiazole (2-MBT, CAS No. 149-30-4) is mainly used as a vulcanization accelerator in the production of rubber. Other applications are as a fungicide in paints and varnishs and for the external treatment of animals. Because of its manifold application in consumer products, for example in soothers, exposure of the general population to 2-MBT can't be excluded. For the purpose of a toxicological evaluation of a possible body burden, the German HBM-commission derived HBM-I values for 2-MBT in the urine of children and adults. The no observed adverse effect level of 94 mg/kg bw/d from a subchronic oral study with mice was used as the point of departure. After considering a total assessment factor of 350, a tolerable daily intake of 0.3 mg/kg bw/d was deduced for humans. Considering further the percentage of 2-MBT and its glucuronide excreted in urine together with the body weight proportional urine volume leads to an HBM-I value for 2-MBT of 4.5 mg/l urine for children and 7 mg/l urine for adults.

Rapid and sensitive LC-MS-MS determination of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, a rubber additive, in human urine.

2-Mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) is one of the most important vulcanization accelerators in the industrial production of rubber, especially car tires. Given its wide use in household articles and industrial rubber products it has a high potential to migrate into the environment. Humans can be exposed by dermal, oral, or inhalative routes. Incorporated MBT is excreted in urine, mainly as conjugates to glucuronide, sulfate, and mercapturic acid. On the basis of these facts MBT has been selected as a substance of high interest in the large scale 10-year German project on human biomonitoring (HBM); a cooperation between the German Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUB) and the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) with the objective of developing new analytical methods for relevant chemicals. The presented method was developed to determine MBT in human urine to reliably investigate the internal human MBT dose. Total MBT is measured after enzymatic hydrolysis followed by application of high-pressure liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS-MS) in positive-electrospray-ionization mode (ESI+) using isotope-dilution quantification. High sample throughput could be obtained by use of the column-switching technique. Optimization yielded an analytical method with a low and reproducible limit of detection (LOD) of 0.4 µg L(-1) and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 1 µg L(-1), and low relative standard deviations in the range 1.6-5.8 %. A small biomonitoring study covering unexposed humans and occupationally exposed workers was performed to establish the feasibility and reliability of the method. MBT was found in only one urine sample from the unexposed humans, at a value of 10.8 µg MBT per liter, whereas it was found in all samples from the tested workers at values of up to 6210 µg MBT per liter.

Pharmacokinetics of renally excreted drug dexpramipexole in subjects with impaired renal function.

This phase I, open-label, single-dose study evaluated the pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of renally excreted drug dexpramipexole in subjects with normal and impaired renal function, i.e. mild, moderate, severe renal impairment, or end-stage renal disease (ESRD) requiring hemodialysis when matched by age and sex. Dexpramipexole area under the curves (AUCs), but not Cmax , were significantly increased with the severity of renal impairment after a single dose administration. The geometric mean ratio of dose-normalized AUC(0-72) was 1.4, 1.7, 2.7, and 4.5, respectively, in mild, moderate, severe renal impairment, and ESRD subjects when compared to healthy subjects. There was a strong association between renal function (eGFR) and dexpramipexole CLr. The slope (90% confidence interval(CI)) of eGFR and renal clearance (CLr) in the regression model was 3.1 (2.4, 3.7). Dexpramipexole elimination in ESRD subjects during both dialysis and non-dialysis (i.e., interval between dialysis) was insignificant. Single 75 mg and 150 mg doses of dexpramipexole were well tolerated, and the safety profile was comparable across renal function groups. Extensive drug accumulation may occur with repeated dosing in patients with significant renal impairment. It is recommended that dexpramipexole not to be given to patients with severe renal impairment or in those with ESRD.

Simultaneous determination of benzothiazoles, benzotriazoles and benzosulfonamides by solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry in environmental aqueous matrices and human urine.

This work proposes a new approach for the simultaneous determination of benzothiazoles, benzotriazoles and benzosulfonamides in different environmental matrices and human urine, using solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas-chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-QqQMS). The analytes object of this investigation have been classified as toxic to aquatic organisms and their presence in human urine was reported to occur as result of human exposure to contaminated environment. In this work many of the challenges related to the chemical diversity and polarity of the analytes selected were overcame conducting a multivariate optimization of the working conditions by using the approach of "Experimental design". Tests performed to assess the performances of five SPME coatings in direct immersion mode revealed the polyacrylate coating to be the most suitable for the extraction of the probe analytes. A central composite design (CCD) was employed to determine the optimal conditions for four factors affecting the solid-phase microextraction process: extraction time, extraction temperature, pH and percentage of sodium chloride. The optimal working condition determined by using Derringer's desirability function were 40min as extraction time, pH 7.1 and 6.0% of NaCl. Since the extraction temperature do not significantly affects the responses for all the analytes considered, analyses were performed at room temperature. A careful evaluation of the matrix effect for all the matrices tested was carried out. The results obtained showed that the proposed method did not significantly influenced by matrix effects in most of the cases tested, and thus allows the use of simplified calibration procedure. Satisfactory values of accuracy and precision were also obtained for all the matrices considered.

Solvent bar microextraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography for preconcentration and determination of pramipexole in biological samples.

A simple, rapid and sensitive analytical method for preconcentration and determination of pramipexole in different biological samples has been developed using solvent bar microextraction (SBME) combined with HPLC-UV. The target drugs were extracted from 10 mL of basic aqueous sample solution into an organic extracting solvent located inside the pores of a polypropylene hollow fiber, then back-extracted into an acidified aqueous solution in the lumen of the hollow fiber. In order to obtain high extraction efficiency, the effect of different variables on the extraction efficiency was studied simultaneously using an experimental design. The experimental parameters of SBME were optimized using a Box-Behnken design after a Plackett-Burman screening design. Under the optimized conditions, an enrichment factor up to 96 was achieved and the relative standard deviation of the method was 4.64% (n = 5). The linear range was 0.05-2000 µg/L with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.987. Finally, the applicability of the proposed method was evaluated by extraction and determination of pramipexole in plasma and urine samples. The results indicated that SBME method has excellent clean-up and high preconcentration factor and can serve as a simple and sensitive method for analysis of pramipexole in biological samples.

Benzotriazoles and benzothiazoles in human urine from several countries: a perspective on occurrence, biotransformation, and human exposure.

Benzotriazole (BTR) and benzothiazole (BTH) derivatives are high-production-volume chemicals that are mainly used as corrosion inhibitors, and are widely distributed in the environment. BTR derivatives are found in plastics, dishwasher detergents, dry cleaning equipment, and de-icing/anti-icing fluids. BTH derivatives are found in rubber materials, herbicides, slimicides, algicides, fungicides, photosensitizers, azo dyes, drugs, de-icing/anti-icing fluids, and food flavors. However, exposure of humans to BTRs and BTHs is still not known. In this study, six BTRs (1H-benzotriazole, 1-hydroxy-benzotriazole, 4- and 5-hydroxy-benzotriazole [mixture of two isomers], tolyltriazole, xylyltriazole [or 5,6-dimethyl-1H-benzotriazole], and 5-chloro-benzotriazole) and six BTHs (benzothiazole, 2-morpholin-4-yl-benzothiazole, 2-hydroxy-benzothiazole, 2-methylthio-benzothiazole, 2-amino-benzothiazole, and 2-thiocyanomethylthio-benzothiazole) were determined in human urine collected from general populations in seven countries (the U.S., Greece, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, China, and India). The median urinary concentration of the sum of five BTRs (Σ5BTRs; 4- and 5-hydroxy-benzotriazole were not included) ranged from 0.2 (Korea) to 2.8 (India)ng/mL among the countries studied, with the highest concentration of 24.5ng/mL found in a sample from China. Xylyltriazole was found more frequently in urine from all five Asian countries than in urine from the U.S. and Greece. The median concentration of the sum of the six BTHs (Σ6BTHs) ranged from 3.6 (U.S.) to 10.9 (Japan)ng/mL among the countries studied, with a maximum detection rate of 100% in urine samples from Vietnam; BTH was the predominant derivative, accounting for, on average, 43% of the Σ6BTH concentration. Based on the concentrations and detection rates of several BTR and BTH derivatives in urine, possible metabolic transformation pathways of these compounds were presented and human exposure doses calculated. The estimated daily intake doses of BTRs and BTHs were on the order of a few to few tens of micrograms per day.

Determination of benzotriazoles and benzothiazoles in human urine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Benzotriazole (BTR) and benzothiazole (BTH) derivatives are used in a wide variety of industrial and consumer products and have been reported to occur in the environment. Owing to a lack of analytical methods, human exposure to BTR and BTH is still unknown. In this study, a liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI(+)MS/MS) method was developed for simultaneous determination of five 1,2,3-benzotriazoles and five 1,3-benzothiazoles in human urine. The target benzotriazoles were 1H-benzotriazole, 1-hydroxy-benzotriazole, tolyltriazole, xylyltriazole (or 5,6-dimethyl-1H-benzotriazole), and 5-chloro-benzotriazole, and the target benzothiazoles were benzothiazole, 2-hydroxy-benzothiazole, 2-methylthio-benzothiazole, 2-amino-benzothiazole, and 2-thiocyanomethylthio-benzothiazole. Urine specimens were enzymatically deconjugated with ß-glucuronidase and extracted by a solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure for the measurement of total concentrations (i.e., free + conjugated forms) of BTRs and BTHs. Additionally, a liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) method was developed for comparison of extraction efficiencies between SPE and LLE. The limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 0.07 (2-amino-benzothiazole) to 4.0 ng/mL (benzothiazole) for the SPE method and from 0.04 (tolyltriazole) to 6.4 ng/mL (benzothiazole) for the LLE method. A total of 100 urine specimens, collected from Athens, Greece, were analyzed by enzymatic deconjugation and SPE. Benzothiazole and tolyltriazole were found frequently, and their concentrations were on the order of a few ng/mL. To our knowledge, this is the first study on the occurrence of 10 BTR and BTH compounds in human urine.

Toxicity assessment of pramipexole in juvenile rhesus monkeys.

Pramipexole (PPX) is a dopamine agonist approved for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of idiopathic Parkinson's disease as well as restless leg syndrome. The objective of this study was to investigate the toxicity of PPX when administered orally to juvenile rhesus monkeys once daily for 30 weeks, and to assess the reversibility of toxicity during a 12-week recovery. Rhesus monkeys (N=4 males and 4 females/group; 22-24 months of age) were orally treated daily for 30 weeks with 0.0, 0.1, 0.5 or 2.0 mg/kg PPX, and subjects were assessed daily using the NCTR Operant Test Battery (OTB). Clinical chemistry, hematology, ophthalmology and other standard postmortem toxicological evaluations, including histopathology and neuropathology as well as toxicokinetics were performed. The systemic exposure to PPX was higher than that at therapeutic doses in man and AUC(0-24 h)-data increased proportionally to dose. Blood pressure significantly decreased over time in all groups including control. Near the end of treatment, there were statistically significant decreases in heart rate for the 0.5 and 2.0 mg/kg/day groups compared to control. After 4 weeks of dosing, serum prolactin was significantly decreased in all treatment groups compared to control. This decrease remained at the end of treatment in the 0.5 and 2.0 mg/kg/day groups. In summary, administration of PPX at doses of up to 2.0 mg/kg/day for 30 weeks to juvenile rhesus monkeys produced adverse findings which were attributable to its pharmacological properties, including hypoprolactinemia.

Spectrophotometric determination of isoxsuprine hydrochloride using 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride in spiked human urine and pharmaceuticals.

Two selective and sensitive spectrophotometric methods are proposed for the determination of isoxsuprine hydrochloride (ISX) in spiked human urine and in pharmaceuticals. The methods are based on the oxidative-coupling reaction between 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride (MBTH) and ISX in the presence of Ce(SO(4))(2). The novelty of the proposed reaction is the formation of two different colored chromogens at two different pHs. The resulting product at pH<1.5 is a red colored chromogen peaking at 500nm (method A) and that formed between the pH 3.85 and 4.15, is violet colored with an absorption maximum at 580nm (method B). In both the methods, absorbance of the chromogen is found to increase linearly with the concentration of ISX as is corroborated by the correlation coefficients of 0.9989 and 0.9970, and the systems obey Beer's law over the ranges of 1.4-21.0 and 1.0-15.0microgml(-1), for method A and method B, respectively. The calculated molar absorptivities are 1.08 x 10(4) and 1.78 x 10(4)lmol(-1)cm(-1) for method A and method B, respectively with corresponding Sandell sensitivity values of 0.0311 and 0.0190microgcm(-2). The reaction stoichiometry, in both the methods, was evaluated by the limiting logarithmic method and was found to be 1:1 (ISX:MBTH). The methods were successfully applied to the determination of ISX in spiked human urine and pharmaceutical formulation.

Pheomelanin-related benzothiazole isomers in the urine of patients with diffuse melanosis of melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Currently used as structural markers for pheomelanin identification and quantitation, benzothiazole compounds derived from isomers of cysteinyldopa have been indicated by recent in vitro studies as new potential pheomelanogenesis intermediates. The presence of benzothiazole compounds in the urine of patients with melanoma with or without diffuse melanosis was investigated. METHODS: Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with zwitterionic stationary phase (ZIC-HILIC) and photo-diode array (PDA) detection was used for analysis of 6-(2-amino-2-carboxyethyl)-4-hydroxybenzothiazole-2-carboxylic acid (BTCA-5), and 7-(2-amino-2-carboxyethyl)-4-hydroxybenzothiazole-2-carboxylic acid (BTCA-2), derived from 5-S-cysteinyldopa (5-S-CD) and 2-S-cysteinyldopa (2-S-CD) isomers, respectively. After minimal sample preparation, isocratic chromatography allowed efficient separation of the compounds, which were safely identified by their typical absorption features. RESULTS: Three patients with diffuse melanosis, 16 patients with melanoma (stages III and IV) and three healthy subjects were investigated. The urinary BTCAs were found to be highly associated with melanosis but more loosely to excreted 5-S-CD. Analysis of the pigmented fraction of urine following alkaline hydrogen peroxide degradation and quantitation of BTCAs provided evidence for the presence of pheomelanins at high levels in patients with melanosis. CONCLUSION: Identification of free BTCA isomers in urine provides a significant contribution in the field of urinary melanogens, and has important implications for biosynthetic activity of normal and pathologic melanocytes.

Analysis of the anti-Parkinson drug pramipexole in human urine by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection.

A sensitive method based on capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection has been developed for the analysis of the non-ergoline dopamine agonist pramipexole in human urine. Separation was carried out in uncoated fused silica capillaries (75microm internal diameter, 75.0 and 60.0cm total and effective length, respectively), with a background electrolyte composed of borate buffer (50mM, pH 10.3), tetrabutylammonium bromide (30mM), and acetone (15%, v/v). Applying a 20kV voltage, the electrophoretic run is completed within 12min. A sample pre-treatment procedure based on liquid/liquid extraction with ethyl acetate, followed by derivatisation of pramipexole with fluorescein isothiocyanate at pH 9, allows the complete removal of biological interferences, with extraction yields always higher than 94.5%. Method validation gave good linearity (r(2)=0.9992) in the 25.0-1000ngmL(-1) range; limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 10.0 and 25.0ngmL(-1), respectively; precision was 90.0. The method was applied to the analysis of urine samples from patients undergoing therapy with pramipexole.

A case of green urine after ingestion of herbicides.

The development of discolored urine may have many possible causes. Here we present the case of a 76-year-old woman who was admitted after ingesting the inorganic herbicides, mefenacet and imazosulfuron. Her urine color changed to green almost immediately. Since the patient had no specific medication or medical history we considered that the most likely cause of the change in urine color was the ingestion of the herbicides. Spectrophotometric analysis of the urine was conducted and a peak was observed in the green area of the wavelength spectrum. These findings show that mefenacet and imazosulfuron should be considered in the differential diagnosis of green discolored urine.