title: Distribution and metabolism of dermorphin in rats.
abstract: Dermorphin distribution and metabolism were studied in rats injected with high doses of the peptide and with 125I-dermorphin, using RIA methods, HPLC extraction and -counting. Dermorphin rapidly disappeared from plasma (half-life: 1.3 min). In vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that the peptide was destroyed in liver and kidney. The highest percent (11%) of injected dermorphin has been found in the bile collected over 1 hour. HPLC analysis showed that bile contained also breakdown products (di, tri, and tetra N-terminal peptide fragments). Reported data suggested that intact dermorphin can be eliminated more slowly than breakdown products.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001646:Bile / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D009294:Narcotics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D009294:Narcotics; D009842:Oligopeptides; D018847:Opioid Peptides; C030058:dermorphin