No abstract

Albumin catalyzes the transformation of prostaglandin D2 to 9-deoxy-delta 9,delta 12(E)-prostaglandin D2 and to isomeric prostaglandin D2 compounds including delta 12(E)-prostaglandin D2. Both of these compounds are alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones, which should render them susceptible to nucleophilic addition. We therefore examined the ability of the compounds to form conjugates with thiols glutathione and cysteine. During incubation with excess glutathione, both 9-deoxy-delta 9,delta 12(E)-prostaglandin D2 and delta 12(E)-prostaglandin D2 formed a conjugate. Conjugation of 9-deoxy-delta 9,delta 12(E)-prostaglandin D2 occurred very rapidly; approximately 70% was conjugated within 2 min. In contrast, conjugation of delta 12(E)-prostaglandin D2 with glutathione proceeded at a much slower rate; only 38% was conjugated at 60 min. The formation of both conjugates was enhanced by glutathione S-transferase. Conjugation of both compounds with cysteine was found to occur more rapidly than with glutathione. This effect was more pronounced with delta 12(E)-prostaglandin D2 in which 60% conjugated with cysteine within 2 min. These differences are likely attributed to greater steric hindrance for conjugation across the delta 12 double bond compared to that across the delta 9 bond. Analysis by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry confirmed the formation of the glutathione conjugate of 9-deoxy-delta 9,delta 12(E)-prostaglandin D2. Following prolonged incubation of 9-deoxy-delta 9,delta 12(E)-prostaglandin D2 with excess glutathione in the presence of glutathione S-transferase, a small quantity of a bis conjugate of this compound was also detected by mass spectrometry.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Allene oxides are unstable epoxides that have been implicated as intermediates in the biotransformation of hydroperoxyicosatetraenoic acids and related hydroperoxides to ketols and cyclopentenones. Direct proof of the structure of the putative allene oxide intermediates has been hampered by their extreme instability under the conditions of their biosynthesis (t½2 15-30 sec at 0C and pH 7.4). We now report the isolation and structural elucidation of allene oxides prepared from the (13S)-hydroperoxides of linoleic and linolenic acids. The compounds were biosynthesized by using a very active enzyme preparation from flaxseed. After a 5-sec incubation at 0C, the allene oxide metabolites were extracted and purified as the methyl ester derivatives at -15TC. The structures were established by UV, CD, NMR, and oxygen-18 labeling experiments. 12,13(S)-Oxido-9Z,11-octadecadienoic acid is derived from linoleic acid, and 12,13(S)-oxido-9Z,11,15Z-octadecatrienoic acid is from linolenic acid. Analysis of the breakdown products formed on exposure to water led to identification of hydrolysis and cyclization products previously characterized as enzymic derivatives of the (13S)-hydroperoxides in flaxseed. Our results give direct proof of the structure of the allene oxide intermediates and should facilitate further investigation of the metabolism of this class of epoxide to prostaglandins, clavulones, and other stable end products. tTo whom reprint requests should be addressed. 3382The publication costs of this article were defrayed in part by page charge payment. This article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" in accordance with 18 U.S.C. §1734 solely to indicate this fact.

cis-12-Oxophytodienoic acid (cis-12-oxo-PDA) is a C18 cyclopentenone formed from the 13-(S)-hydroperoxide of linolenic acid in flaxseed and other plant tissues. Although the structure of cis-12-oxo-PDA is well established, the absolute configuration of the side chains has not been determined. We have now measured this important parameter by two independent approaches. The CD spectrum of freshly prepared cis-12-oxo-PDA showed no deviations from base line--implying that the product is racemic. This conclusion was checked by a high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) method capable of resolving the enantiomers; cis-12-oxo-PDA was reduced to two saturated hydroxy analogues which were each converted to (-)-menthoxycarbonyl diastereomers and analyzed by HPLC. Each epimer was resolved as two peaks of equal area, thus confirming that their cis-12-oxo-PDA parent is a racemic mixture, enantiomeric at the ring junctures. We propose that the biosynthesis of racemic cis-12-oxo-PDA proceeds by dehydration of the 13(S)-hydroperoxide to an allene oxide. A major fate of the allene oxide is hydrolysis to an alpha-ketol, which is always formed together with cis-12-oxo-PDA. The allene oxide also opens to a zwitterion, which undergoes charge delocalization to form a planar intermediate; this structure is the achiral precursor of the stable end product of pericyclic ring closure, viz., racemic cis-12-oxo-PDA.

Analysis of commercially available generic formulations of fluoxetine HCl revealed the presence of lactose as the most common excipient. We show that such formulations are inherently less stable than formulations with starch as the diluent due to the Maillard reaction between the drug, a secondary amine hydrochloride, and lactose. The Amadori rearrangement product was isolated and characterized; the characterization was aided by reduction with sodium borohydride and subsequent characterization of this reduced adduct. The lactose-fluoxetine HCl reaction was examined in aqueous ethanol and in the solid state, in which factors such as water content, lubricant concentration, and temperature were found to influence the degradation. N-Formylfluoxetine was identified as a major product of this Maillard reaction and it is proposed that N-formyl compounds be used as markers for this drug-excipient interaction since they are easy to prepare synthetically. Many characteristic volatile products of the Maillard reaction have been identified by GC/MS, including furaldehyde, maltol, and 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4 H-pyran-4-one. Close similarity between the degradation products of simple mixtures and formulated generic products was found; however, at least one product decomposed at a rate nearly 10 times that predicted from the simple models. Maillard products have also been identified in unstressed capsules. The main conclusion is that drugs which are secondary amines (not just primary amines as sometimes reported) undergo the Maillard reaction with lactose under pharmaceutically relevant conditions. This finding should be considered during the selection of excipients and stability protocols for drugs which are secondary amines or their salts, just as it currently is for primary amines.