title: Metabolic fate of valproic acid in the rhesus monkey. Formation of a toxic metabolite, 2-n-propyl-4-pentenoic acid.
abstract: The metabolic fate of an iv bolus dose (13.5 mg kg-1) of valproic acid (VPA) was studied in adult male rhesus monkeys. Renal excretion proved to be the major route of elimination of the drug and a total of 17 metabolites, accounting collectively for some 82% of the administered dose, were identified in urine by GC-MS techniques. Many of these metabolites were present largely in the form of glucuronide conjugates, as was VPA itself. The principal pathways of VPA biotransformation were, in order of decreasing quantitative importance, ester glucuronide formation, omega-oxidation, beta-oxidation and (omega-1)-hydroxylation. In addition, three mono-unsaturated metabolites, identified as (E)-delta 2-, (E)-delta 3-, and delta 4-VPA, were detected in both plasma and urine. Quantitative analysis of these unsaturated VPA metabolites indicated that the delta 4 olefin, which is known to be a potent hepatotoxic agent, was the predominant isomer of the group.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Rettenmeier
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Prickett
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lockard
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Thummel
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Baillie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D008251:Macaca / Q000378:metabolism*; D008253:Macaca mulatta / Q000378:metabolism*; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; C045022:2-propyl-4-pentenoic acid; C014168:2-propyl-2-pentenoic acid; D014635:Valproic Acid