title: Mechanism for the stabilization in vivo of the aziridine precursor --(4-acetoxyphenyl)-2-chloro-N-methyl-ethylammonium chloride by serum proteins.
abstract: Oral and intraperitoneal administration of 2-(4-acetoxyphenyl)-2-chloro-N-methyl-ethylammonium chloride (Compound A), an analogue of phenyl aziridine precursors that occur in the shrub Salsola tuberculatiformis Botsch, had a contraceptive effect on female Wistar rats with a concomitant decrease in total body, uterus, and every mass and an increase in abronal mass. Compound A elicited a Type II difference spectrum and inhibited the Type I deoxycorticosterone (DOC) induced difference spectrum of sheep adrenal cytochrome P450c11 in a manner similar to that of S2, a biologically active fraction isolated from S. tuberculatiformis. The effects of Compound A on the spectral properties of P450c11 were diminished with time in PBS. Electrospray mass spectrometry (ES-MS) indicated that the rate of cyclization of Compound A to the corresponding aziridine followed a time course similar to the attenuation of cytochrome P450c11 inhibition. It was concluded that the aziridine precursor. Compound A, rather than aziridine itself, was the inhibiting agent of sheep adrenal P450c11. Addition of sheep and rat plasma prevented the attenuation of the effect of Compound A on the spectral properties of cytochrome P450c11. Subsequent ES-MS analysis indicated that Compound A was stabilized in plasma by sex hormone binding globulin and corticosteroid binding globulin. These results suggest a mechanism whereby natural plant products, which are highly reactive and unstable in vitro, can be stabilized by binding to plasma proteins, and so remain biologically active in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, Republic of South Africa. al@maties.sun.ac.za
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Louw
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Swart
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: de Kock
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: van der Merwe
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D019405:Cytochrome P-450 CYP11B2 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D004355:Drug Stability; D005021:Ethylamines / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism; D014156:Transcortin / Q000378:metabolism; D014439:Tyramine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
chemical_list: C104564:2-(4-acetoxyphenyl)-2-chloro-N-methylethylamine; D000085:Acetates; D001798:Blood Proteins; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D005021:Ethylamines; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone; D014156:Transcortin; D019405:Cytochrome P-450 CYP11B2; D014439:Tyramine