title: Effects of deuterium substitution on the catabolism of beta-phenylethylamine: an in vivo study.
abstract: beta-Phenylethylamine (PE) hydrochloride injected intraperitoneally into rats was distributed evenly throughout the various regions of rat brain. Similarly, when a mixture of PE and alpha, alpha, beta, beta-deuterated PE [( 2H4]PE) was injected, no regional differences were observed in the ratios of the amounts of [2H4]PE and PE present; however, significantly more [2H4]PE than PE was present, although a 1:1 mixture had been administered. Further experiments in which the amounts of [2H4]PE and PE in whole rat brain, liver, and plasma were quantified confirmed this finding. The maximum [2H4]PE-to-PE ratios observed were 67 in whole brain 1 h after injection and 8 in liver and in plasma 45 min after injection. The whole brain [2H4]PE-to-PE ratios were decreased by pargyline pretreatment. Subsequent experiments showed that more alpha, alpha-[2H2]PE than PE was present in whole brain, liver, and plasma of rats injected with an equimolar mixture of alpha, alpha-[2H2]PE and PE. In contrast, beta, beta-[2H2]PE was not enriched in comparison to PE under the same experimental conditions. We concluded that the basis for the enrichment of [2H4]PE and alpha, alpha-[2H2]PE compared to PE was due to protection of the deuterated analogs from the actions of monoamine oxidase and perhaps aldehyde dehydrogenase; this protection led to pronounced deuterium substitution effects in vivo especially in the brain.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D003903:Deuterium / Q000378:metabolism*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010293:Pargyline / Q000494:pharmacology; D010627:Phenethylamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D010627:Phenethylamines; C029261:phenethylamine; D010293:Pargyline; D003903:Deuterium