Rat liver-mediated degradation of dibromodulcitol

The rate and extent of dibromodulcitol (DBD) conversion by 9000 g rat liver supernatant with an NADPH-generating system (S-9 mix) were studied using 3H-labelled drug. Results indicated that S-9 mix seemed to exert an initial protective effect delaying the solvolysis of DBD for about 30 min at 37 degrees C followed by rapid degradation into exclusively pharmacologically inactive products. Thus S-9 mix contained merely DBD as an effective agent; it amounted to less than 40% of the total radioactive compounds by 120 min. In the control mixtures the sovolytically produced effective drug content, i.e. the sum of DBD, 1,2-anhydro-6-bromo-6-deoxygalactitol (BrEpG), 1,2-5,6-dianhydrogalactitol (DAG) was 63%. Our results suggest the involvement of liver enzymes in the detoxification of DBD into inactive products. Therefore the antitumour effect of DBD cannot be attributed to its active BrEpG and DAG alone. The drug in its unchanged form may contribute to a somewhat greater extent to its cytostatic action than was believed before.