Abstract
3-(Phenylamino)alanine (PAA), a newly discovered impurity in case-associated l-tryptophan tablets, has been investigated as a possible contributing factor in the etiology of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS). We have studied distribution and elimination of PAA in rats which were administered a single 5 mg/kg dose of PAA by gastric gavage. PAA concentrations in blood, brain, kidney and liver were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection. The concentration of PAA in each tissue reached a maximum at 5 h, and then gradually declined. A high level of PAA still remained at 24 h, indicating gradual elimination. The concentration of PAA in brain at 5 h was 2139 ng/g tissue, demonstrating passage through the blood-brain barrier. Consecutive administration of PAA (5 mg/kg) for 4 days resulted in approximately double the concentration in all tissues. Chronic treatment using PAA incorporated into food pellets for 6 weeks resulted in similar accumulations in each tissue, and following 12 days on a PAA free diet, levels of this drug were still detectable in all tissues.
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Adachi, J., Gomez, M., Smith, C.C. et al. Accumulation of 3-(phenylamino)alanine, a constituent in l-tryptophan products implicated in eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome, in blood and organs of the Lewis rats. Arch Toxicol 69, 266–270 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002040050169
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002040050169