title: Chemical oxidation of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) and its in vivo metabolism in rat brain and liver.
abstract: We investigated in vivo the metabolism of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in the brain and liver of rats 45 min after the systemic administration of 50 mg/kg of the neurotoxin. The metabolites present in brain and liver extracts were identified through multiple analytical methods by comparison to authentic compounds obtained from a number of chemical oxidations of MPTP. Our results indicate the presence of approximately 15% unreacted MPTP and relatively large amounts of both 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) and a mixture of three nonpolar lactams: 1-methyl-4-phenyl-5,6-dihydro-2(1H)-pyridinone, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-2(1H)-pyridinone, and a previously unreported metabolite 1-methyl-4-phenyl-2-piperidinone. Whereas MPP+ was more prevalent in the brain than in the liver, the lactam metabolites were more predominant in the liver. The amounts of the N-oxide and N-demethylated metabolites of MPTP were minimal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106.
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Riachi
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Harik
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Sayre
mesh_terms: D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011725:Pyridines / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D011725:Pyridines; D015632:1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase