The metabolism of EGYT-475, a new antidepressant agent, in rats

The metabolites of EGYT-475 excreted by the kidney were studied in rats using radioactive analogues of the compound tested. 40% of the total radioactivity was found in rat urine which was collected over 48 h, pooled, centrifuged, membrane-filtered, and from which the metabolites were separated by combined chromatographic procedures or extracted after acidic hydrolysis. Gas chromatographic and GC/MS studies showed that 31.1% of the radioactivity found in urine proved to be picolinyl-piperazine, 3.7% was N-benzyl-piperazine and 28.5% of it was picolinic acid. Hippuric acid accounted for 53.2% of the radioactivity of the acid hydrolyzed urine.