Barry H. Thomas

The estimation of acetylsalicylic acid and salicylate in biological fluids by gas-liquid chromatography

A gas‐liquid chromatographic method is described for the simultaneous separation and determination of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and salicylic acid (SA) in biological fluids. The salicylates are completely extracted from deproteinized plasma or urine at pH 2 with ether containing p‐toluic acid as the internal standard. The silylated derivatives are formed using bis(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide and separated at 150° on preconditioned 100–120 mesh Gas‐Chrom Q coated with 5% OV17 packed into a 6 ft, 1/4 inch o.d. glass column in a gas chromatograph with a flame ionization detector and integrator. Detector response is linear over the range from 0–2 mg ml−1 for SA and from 0–100 μg ml−1 for ASA. The time required for the analysis of SA alone or with ASA is about 80 min, the analysis of ASA alone requires about 20 min. The precision of the method is 1 % or better for drug concentrations above 10 μg ml−1. The limits of detectability for SA and ASA are 1 and 2 μg ml, respectively.

Enalapril cytotoxicity in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. I. Effects of cytochrome P450 inducers and inhibitors

Enalapril maleate (EN) incubated with primary cultures of rat hepatocytes was cytotoxic in concentrations of 0.5 mM or greater. Toxicity was measured by release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) into the culture medium at 24 h. SKF525A, alpha-naphthoflavone (alpha NF) and metyrapone (MTP) reduced the toxicity of EN. In vivo pretreatment with phenobarbital (PB) and beta-naphthoflavone (beta NF) had minor protective effects on the responses of hepatocytes to EN exposure. However, in vivo pretreatment with pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile (PCN) substantially potentiated EN cytotoxicity. These results suggest that the cytocidal hepatotoxicity of EN in primary culture depends to some degree on metabolic activation by a cytochrome P450 species.

Effect of acetylsalicylic acid on a toxic dose of acetaminophen in the mouse

Abstract The effect of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on the toxicity and metabolism of [14C]acetaminophen was studied in the mouse. Pretreatment with ASA did not affect lethality, but hepatotoxicity as determined by plasma transaminases was reduced by ASA pretreatment. The blood concentration profiles of radioactivity were altered by ASA following po and ip administration. It was suggested that ASA reduced the rate of acetaminophen absorption and inhibited elimination. Paper chromatography of urine showed that following ip dosing ASA reduced the excretion of sulfate conjugate but increased the excretion of total catabolites of the glutathione conjugate. In the po study a similar inhibition of sulfation was observed, but excretion of total glutathione degradation products was not altered statistically even though excretion of mercapturate was statistically elevated by ASA pretreatment. An attempt was made to correlate the excretion of glutathione degradation products (an estimate of the toxic pathway) with toxicity. A direct correlation could not always be demonstrated, and it was concluded that factors additional to toxic metabolite formation modified acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in the mouse.

Analysis of warfarin in plasma by high-pressure liquid chromatography

An improved high-pressure liquid chromatography method for the estimation of warfarin in plasma was developed. Plasma was acidified and extracted with ethylene dichloride spiked with methylated warfarin [3-(alpha-acetonylbenzyl)-4-methoxy-coumarin] as internal standard. The residue, redissolved in dioxane, was chromatographed on a reversed-phase column using a mobile phase of 40% dioxane in water (pH 4.2) on a high-pressure liquid chromatograph fitted with an UV absorbance detector. Recoveries from extraction, quantitated using tracer amounts of [14C]warfarin and methylated [14C]warfarin were 92.2 +/- 3.16% and 82.33 +/- 1.03%, respectively. The standard curve was linear between o.625 and 5.0 microng/ml. Detection was sensitive to approximately 0.5 microng/ml and specific without the inter ference of normal plasma constituents and warfarin metabolites.

Metabolism of [14C]Paracetamol and its Interactions with Aspirin in Hamsters

1. The metabolism of [14C]paracetamol (150 mg/kg) and its interactions with aspirin (200 mg/kg) were studied in male hamsters. 2. Aspirin was found to slow the rate of paracetamol absorption from the gastro-intestinal tract, but did not affect the rate of elimination. 3. Metabolism studies showed that greater than 80% of the radioactivity was excreted in the urine in 24 h. Paper chromatography of the urine separated the radioactivity into five peaks, four of which were identified as paracetamol and its glucuronide, sulphate and mercapturate conjugates. 4. The other peak, comprising of less than 10% of the total radioactivity, was a mixture of two or more other metabolites. A major component was isolated and characterized as methyl 2-hydroxy-5-acetamidophenyl sulphone. 5. Aspirin inhibited the metabolism of paracetamol by the sulphate conjugation pathway.

Effect of sodium salicylate on the fate of warfarin in the rat

Abstract Salicylate (88.9 mg/kg, po) decreased the blood level of radioactivity emanating from [ 14 C]warfarin (1 mg/kg, iv and po) during the 24 hr following drug administration, reduced the area under the blood radioactivity vs time curve, and shortened the half-life for elimination of radioactivity from the blood. During the first 6 hr after drug administration, salicylate increased the biliary excretion of radioactivity, which resulted in enhanced fecal excretion of warfarin and its metabolites. Salicylate administration initially increased and later decreased the amount of radioactivity in the liver, and increased the proportion of warfarin metabolites to unchanged warfarin in this organ. It did not affect the proportion of unchanged warfarin to metabolites in the blood, bile and urine, or the total amount of radioactivity excreted during 48 hr in the urine and feces. In vitro, salicylate decreased the binding of [ 14 C]warfarin to rat serum proteins in a linear manner. It is concluded that, in the rat, salicylate competes with warfarin for serum protein binding sites, thereby facilitating its uptake by the liver. Second, through a combination of its choleretic action and effect on membrane transport, salicylate enhances the biliary excretion of warfarin and its metabolites, thus accounting for the decreased concentration in the blood and lowered antiboagulant action.

Enalapril cytotoxicity in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. II. Role of glutathione

The cytotoxicity of enalapril maleate (EN) in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes, at concentrations of 0.5 mM or greater, was measured by the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) into the culture medium. Pretreatment of the hepatocytes with L-buthionine-(S,R)-sulfoximine (BSO) and diethyl maleate (DEM) potentiated the toxicity whereas N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) provided protection. EN produced a dose-dependent reduction in intracellular glutathione (GSH) concentration. This was an early effect, apparent after only 1 h of exposure to the drug, whereas loss of cell viability occurred after 6-18 h. These results suggest that the mechanism of EN cytotoxicity involves a GSH-dependent detoxification pathway.

Metabolism of [14C]Acetylisoniazid and [14C]Acetylhydrazine by the Rat and Rabbit

Male rats and rabbits were singly dosed with either 1-[14C]acetyl isoniazid (acetylisonicotinoylhydrazine, acetyl-INH, 200 mg/kg po) or 1-[14C]acetylhydrazine (50 or 100 mg/kg ip). Urine and expired 14CO2 were collected, and after 6 hr the animals were killed for the analysis of tissue 14C concentrations and covalent binding of 14C to hepatic protein. Rats excreted proportionately more 14C in urine and had lower 14C levels in their tissues compared to rabbits. When acetyl-INH was administered, covalent hepatic protein binding of the acetyl moiety was greater in the rabbit than the rat, but the opposite was observed when acetylhydrazine was administered. Analysis of blood and urine by TLC revealed that the rabbit more rapidly metabolized both acetyl-INH to acetylhydrazine, and acetylhydrazine to diacetylhydrazine than did the rat. These observations suggest that higher amidase activity in the rabbit compared to the rat leads to faster conversion of acetyl-INH to acetylhydrazine which in turn leads to greater covalent binding and hepatotoxicity.

Effect of ethanol on the pharmacokinetics of 2-14C-methaqualone in the rat.

Abstract Blood concentrations of radioactivity at 2, 3 and 4 hr and tissue concentrations at 4 hr following 2- 14 C-methaqualone (25 mg/kg po) administration, were statistically higher in rats simultaneously dosed with ethanol (3 gm/kg po) than in controls receiving only methaqualone. The major route of elimination was biliary excretion and ethanol inhibited the biliary clearance of carbon-14. An inhibition of metabolism by ethanol could not be demonstrated and reduced clearance was attributed to a depression of active secretory processes by ethanol. Consequently, an elevation of plasma concentrations of free drug and an increased uptake of methaqualone into lipoid tissues such as the brain occurred offering an explanation for reports of potentiation following administration of the ethanolmethaqualone combination.

Fate of [14C]warfarin in guinea-pigs: effect of a concomitant single dose of salicylate.

When a single dose of sodium salicylate (177·8 mg kg−1, by mouth) was given with [14C] warfarin (1 mg kg−1, i.p.) to guinea‐pigs, the salicylate depressed the blood concentrations of 14C for 6 h. At 1 h, salicylate increased the distribution of 14C in the liver and brain, but at 1 and 6 h it was decreased in the blood and kidney. A significant portion of the 14C was excreted into the bile, but was subject to enterohepatic circulation and then excreted by the kidney. There was an enhancement of the biliary elimination of 14C in the first 5 h after salicylate and a decrease in 14C concentration in blood; the proportion of warfarin to its metabolites excreted in the urine and bile was unchanged. Salicylate displaced serum protein bound [14C]warfarin in vitro. Salicylate increases the initial biliary elimination of warfarin by displacing some of that bound to plasma protein. This facilitated uptake of warfarin by the liver where it was metabolized. This effect of salicylate did not modify the hypoprothrombinaemia produced by warfarin.