title: Effect of deuterium substitution on the disposition of intraperitoneal tryptamine.
abstract: To determine whether alpha,alpha-dideutero substitution in the side chain of the tryptamine molecule can exert primary isotope effects and enhance its bioavailability, equimolar mixtures of tryptamine (T) and either alpha,alpha-dideutero-tryptamine (alpha,alpha-[2H2]T) or beta,beta-dideutero-tryptamine (beta,beta-[2H2]T) were injected i.p. into rats. The amounts of these amines in the brain, liver and plasma were then measured at various times following the injection, and ratios between the deuterated T and T were computed. The ratio remained close to unity in plasma, but exceeded unity in the liver and brain when alpha,alpha-[2H2]T and T were injected; however, when beta,beta-[2H2]T and T were injected, the ratios were unity in all cases at all times. In the presence of a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, the relative enrichment of alpha,alpha-[2H2]T compared to T was reduced. It is concluded that alpha,alpha-dideutero substitution exerts a primary isotope effect during oxidative deamination so that much more of this amine penetrates into, and persists in, the brain.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D003641:Deamination; D003903:Deuterium / Q000378:metabolism*; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000378:metabolism; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007490:Iproniazid / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014363:Tryptamines / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004983:Ethanolamines; D014363:Tryptamines; C030820:tryptamine; C005332:N-phenylethanolamine; D003903:Deuterium; D007490:Iproniazid; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase