Abstract

The metabolism of four benzomorphan compounds was studied in the isolated perfused rat liver, and glucuronide metabolites were identified by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Cyclazocine, ketocyclazocine, volazocine, and pantazocine were each added to the perfusate of the isolated perfused rat liver and the bile collected for 3 hours. The residue from evaporation of the bile was derivatized with the dimethylsulfoxide anion and methyl iodide, and the permethylated glucuronide metabolites were identified by GC/MS. The four compounds were hydroxylated by the liver and excreted in the bile as phenolic glucuronides. For example, permethylated hydroxycyclazocine glucuronide had a mass spectrum with a molecular ion at m/e 533 and fragment ions at m/e 301 (aglycone), m/e 260 (loss of cyclopropyl group) and prominent ions at m/e 232, 201, 169, 141, and 101 caused by fragmentation of the permethylated glucuronic acid moiety. Perdeuteriomethylation demonstrated that pentazocine, volazocine, and cyclazocine were further metabolized by methylation of one hydroxy substituent and glucuronidation on the other. Pentazocine, cyclazocine, and ketocyclazocine were also metabolized to phenolic glucuronides of the parent drugs. N-deakylated metabolites of pentazocine, volazocine, and cyclazocine were identified both as permethylated glucuronic acid conjugates and as the trimethylsilyl derivatives of the aglycones, obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis on the conjugates in bile.