Identification of phototransformation products of prednisone by sunlight: toxicity of the drug and its derivatives on aquatic organisms.
Solar simulator irradiation of an aqueous suspension of prednisone, a widely prescribed drug, produces seven photochemical derivatives. The compounds have been identified on the basis of their physical features. All the chemicals have been tested to evaluate their toxic effects on freshwater organisms from different trophic levels. The rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus and two crustaceans, the cladoceran Daphnia magna and the anostracan Thamnocephalus platyurus, were used to perform acute toxicity tests. Chronic toxicity tests have been performed on the alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (formerly known as Selenastrum capricornutum) and the crustacean Ceriodaphnia dubia. The results showed low acute and chronic toxicity of prednisone. Some of the photoproducts had high toxic effects on C. dubia.
DellaGreca
Marina
M
Dipartimento di Chimica Organica e Biochimica, Università Federico II, Via Cynthia 4, I-80126 Napoli, Italy. dellagre@unina.it
Fiorentino
Antonio
A
Iesce
Maria Rosaria
MR
Isidori
Marina
M
Nardelli
Angela
A
Previtera
Lucio
L
Temussi
Fabio
F
D000818:Animals; D003445:Crustacea / Q000187:drug effects; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000187:drug effects; D011241:Prednisone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000633:toxicity*; D012403:Rotifera / Q000187:drug effects; D013472:Sunlight; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute; D036401:Toxicity Tests, Chronic; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000633:toxicity*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011241:Prednisone