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Biomedical subjects

R T Coutts

Publications and source records attributed to R T Coutts.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Rapid analysis of beta-phenylethylamine in tissues and body fluids utilizing pentafluorobenzoylation followed by electron-capture gas chromatography.

A rapid, sensitive gas chromatographic procedure for analysis of beta-phenylethylamine is reported. The procedure involves extraction with a liquid ion-pairing compound, back-extraction with HCl, basification and reaction with pentafluorobenzoyl chloride under aqueous conditions. The pentafluorobenzoyl derivative of beta-phenylethylamine is then separated and analyzed on a gas chromatograph equipped with a capillary column and an electron-capture detector. The procedure produces a derivative which has good chromatographic properties and a high degree of stability. The method has been applied to analysis of beta-phenylethylamine in a variety of tissues and body fluids.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

N,N-dipropargyl-2-phenylethylamine, a potential prodrug of 2-phenylethylamine: neurochemical and neuropharmacological studies in rat.

An evaluation of N,N-dipropargyl-2-phenylethylamine (DPGPEA) as a prodrug to increase brain levels of 2-phenylethylamine (PEA) was conducted in rats. A 0.1 mmol/kg (IP) dose of DPGPEA was administered and produced marked elevations of PEA levels in brain, liver and blood which were sustained for several hours. Ex vivo MAO inhibition data indicated DPGPEA to be an inhibitor of MAO-B, although the effect was much weaker than seen with tranylcypromine or pargyline. DPGPEA caused brain noradrenaline, dopamine and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid levels to temporarily decrease significantly below controls. Concomitant increases in homovanillic acid and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid levels suggest that the PEA or N-propargylPEA formed and/or DPGPEA itself have significant effects on release and reuptake of neurotransmitters. DPGPEA was also shown to be metabolized to N-propargyl-PEA, another prodrug of PEA, in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

N-(2-cyanoethyl)tranylcypromine, a potential prodrug of tranylcypromine: its disposition and interaction with catecholamine neurotransmitters in brain.

The disposition of the N-cyanoethyl analogue of tranylcypromine (TCP) and the TCP formed from it have been studied in the rat brain following intraperitoneal (ip) administration (0.1 mmol/kg) and the resultant data compared with those obtained following an equimolar dose of TCP. Brain concentrations of the neurotransmitter amines dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA) have also been determined, as well as the percentage inhibition of monoamine oxidase (MAO) types A and B. Our results indicate that the N-cyanoethyl analogue may be a useful prodrug of TCP, providing lower but more sustained concentrations of TCP in brain. Brain levels of DA were increased in a similar pattern after CE-TCP or TCP. Brain levels of NA were decreased by TCP at most time intervals, while CE-TCP produced a much less pronounced effect. Both CE-TCP and TCP inhibited MAO-A and MAO-B, with maximum inhibition occurring 60 min after CE-TCP dosing and 30 min after dosing with TCP, times at which brain concentrations of CE-TCP and TCP were at the maximum.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Neuropharmacological and neurochemical properties of N-(2-cyanoethyl)-2-phenylethylamine, a prodrug of 2-phenylethylamine.

1 N-(2-cyanoethyl)-2-phenylethylamine (CEPEA) was examined as a possible prodrug of 2-phenylethylamine (PEA). 2 Pharmacokinetics of PEA and CEPEA were investigated in rat brain, blood and liver by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection (GC-ECD). Interactions of PEA and CEPEA with putative neurotransmitter amines were investigated by use of high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (h.p.l.c.-e.c.). 3 Administration of PEA caused transient increases in PEA concentrations which decreased rapidly in brain and blood and at a slower rate in liver. Administration of CEPEA caused sustained elevations of PEA concentrations and elimination of PEA was markedly decreased in these tissues relative to the situation after administration of PEA itself. 4 Administration of CEPEA caused more prolonged decreases in brain noradrenaline, dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine concentrations than those observed after PEA administration, although values increased to control levels eventually.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Dose-response relationship of doxapram in the therapy for refractory idiopathic apnea of prematurity.

Eighteen infants with idiopathic apnea of prematurity refractory to therapeutic levels of aminophylline were treated with incremental doses of doxapram beginning at 0.5 mg/kg/h. Continuous recording of heart rate, thoracic impedance, and transcutaneous PO2 demonstrated that 47% of the infants satisfied objective response criteria at the lowest dose, 53% responded at 1.0 mg/kg/h, 65% at 1.5 mg/kg/h, 82% at 2.0 mg/kg/h, and 89% at the highest allowed dose of 2.5 mg/kg/h. The mean serum doxapram concentration at the response dose was 2.9 +/- 1.3 micrograms/mL, and all infants who responded had levels greater than 1.5 micrograms/mL. BP was significantly elevated at doses higher than 1.5 mg/kg/h (P less than .05). Minute ventilation significantly increased and PCO2 significantly decreased as the doxapram dosage was increased (P = .02). Terminal elimination half-life was 9.9 +/- 2.9 hours. When doxapram is used for treatment of refractory neonatal apnea the starting dosage should be no more than 0.5 mg/kg/h.

Apnea↗
PubMed1986

Tissue levels and some in vivo responses to a monofluorinated analogue of amphetamine in the mouse.

The metabolism and some behavioral properties of each of the optical isomers of 2-amino-1-fluoro-3-phenylpropane hydrochloride (fluoroamphetamine, FAM) were examined and compared to those of the optical isomers of amphetamine (AM). Substitution of fluorine into the side-chain of AM increased the rate of elimination of drug from brain and modified the kinetics from a one- to a two-compartment model. Urinary excretion of unchanged S-(-)-FAM was reduced from that observed after R-(-)-AM, suggesting a more extensive metabolism. Fluorine substitution also modified the behavioral response to AM. Thus, each optical isomer of FAM produced paradoxical reductions in locomotor activity and body temperature.

Amphetamines↗
PubMed1986

Electron-capture gas chromatographic analysis of beta-phenylethylamine in tissues and body fluids using pentafluorobenzenesulfonyl chloride for derivatization.

A gas chromatographic procedure is described for the analysis of beta-phenylethylamine (PEA) in tissues and body fluids. The method involves the use of pentafluorobenzenesulfonyl chloride for extraction and derivatization of PEA. This is followed by separation and analysis of the derivatized amine on a gas chromatograph equipped with a fused-silica capillary column and an electron-capture detector. The procedure is rapid, provides a stable and sensitive derivative, and has been applied to analysis of PEA in brain, heart, kidney, liver, lung, spleen and blood from the rat and urine from human subjects.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Simple automated gas chromatographic analysis of amino acids and its application to brain tissue and urine.

The separation of 21 free amino acids as their isobutyl N(O,S)-pentafluorobenzoyl derivatives by capillary gas chromatography with electron-capture detection is described. This method has been successfully applied to routine analysis of most of these amino acids in brain tissue and urine. The amino acids are converted to their isobutyl N(O,S)-pentafluorobenzoyl derivatives by acid-catalysed esterification followed by aqueous extractive pentafluorobenzoylation. The 21 amino acids can be separated on a single capillary column in 21 min. The high sensitivity permits analysis in minute quantities of sample and the high stability permits the use of an automatic sample injector at ambient temperatures. Thus, over 50 samples can be readily analyzed in a single day.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1986

Gas chromatographic separation of optically active anti-inflammatory 2-arylpropionic acids using (+)- or (-)-amphetamine as derivatizing reagent.

A method is described for the derivatization of several non-steroidal anti-inflammatory arylalkanoic acids (ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, fenoprofen, flurbiprofen, pirprofen, cicloprofen, tiaprofenic acid, etodolic acid) with optically active amphetamine. The usefulness of this reagent compared to alpha-methylbenzylamine is described. The enantiomers are separated as diastereoisomers using capillary gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection. The procedure is readily applied to the quantification of the enantiomers in urine and plasma samples.

Amphetamine↗
PubMed1986

Pharmacokinetics of the enantiomers of tiaprofenic acid in humans.

A gas chromatographic method was utilized to study stereoselective pharmacokinetics of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, tiaprofenic acid (5-benzoyl-alpha-methyl-2-thiopheneacetic acid), in four arthritic patients receiving 200 mg/8 h of the racemic drug. Synovial concentrations of the enantiomers were also measured following administration of single 200-mg doses of the drug to six other patients. In the analytical procedure, racemic tiaprofenic acid was coupled to (S)-(+)-amphetamine and the corresponding diastereoisomeric amide derivatives were resolved. Analysis of serial blood and urine samples at steady state, and single synovial samples, revealed that tiaprofenic acid enantiomers had superimposable plasma concentration-time and urinary excretion-time profiles and equivalent synovial concentrations. These results indicate that, unlike most 2-arylpropionic acid anti-inflammatory drugs, tiaprofenic acid enantiomers do not have different disposition kinetics, and the metabolic chiral inversion of one to the other does not occur or is so slow that the drug is eliminated before significant inversion takes place.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
PubMed1986

Detection and quantitation of a ring-hydroxylated metabolite of the antidepressant drug tranylcypromine.

The formation of p-hydroxytranylcypromine from intraperitoneally injected tranylcypromine was confirmed using two types of experiments. In the first, tranylcypromine levels were shown to be increased in brains of rats pretreated with agents known to be inhibitors of ring hydroxylation compared to rats pretreated with physiological saline. For the second set of experiments, p-hydroxytranylcypromine was identified in brain and urine (following intraperitoneal injection) by derivatizing with perfluoroacylating reagents and analyzing by electron-capture gas chromatography and by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In experiments in vitro, p-hydroxytranylcypromine was demonstrated to inhibit monoamine oxidase, although it was weaker than TCP in this regard and was a much stronger inhibitor of MAO-A than of MAO-B.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Metabolism and disposition of N-(2-cyanoethyl)amphetamine (fenproporex) and amphetamine: study in the rat brain.

N-(2-Cyanoethyl)amphetamine (fenproporex, CE-AM) is a clinically used anorexiant claimed to be devoid of the stimulant properties associated with amphetamine (AM). This claim was inconsistent with preliminary studies conducted in our laboratories which indicated that CE-AM is metabolically dealkylated to AM to a considerable extent in the rat. Concentration-time profiles of CE-AM and its metabolites AM and 4-hydroxyamphetamine (4-OH-AM) in the rat brain were constructed after administration of CE-AM. Analyses of CE-AM, AM, and 4-OH-AM were performed by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection using pentafluorobenzoyl chloride (under aqueous conditions) as the derivatizing reagent. The half-life (t1/2) and the maximum concentration (Cmax) of AM after administration of CE-AM were calculated to be 2.04 and 0.56 times the respective t1/2 and Cmax obtained after an equimolar dose of AM. Significant differences in the profiles of 4-OH-AM were also observed. The Cmax of 4-OH-AM in rat brain after administration of CE-AM was nearly 4 times higher and the tmax (time at which concentration is maximum) 4 times lower than the respective Cmax and tmax values of 4-OH-AM observed after an equimolar dose of AM.

Amphetamine↗
PubMed1986

An electron-capture gas chromatographic method for analysis of urinary 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethylene glycol (MHPG).

A sensitive and convenient electron-capture gas chromatographic procedure for analysis of MHPG in small volumes of urine is described. The method involves acetylation under aqueous conditions, extraction with an organic solvent and reaction with trifluoroacetic anhydride under anhydrous conditions. The resultant derivative is separated and quantitated on a gas chromatograph equipped with a fused silica capillary column and an electron-capture detector.

Acetic Anhydrides↗