[Effect of chlortetracycline on the peptide spectrum of rat serum]

Application of chlortetracycline in rats resulted in the occurence of certain peptides in the blood-serum, which could not be detected in the serum of an untreated control group. These results were obtained by means of high voltage electrophoresis and paper electrophoresis of the serum of rats which was analyzed 1,3, and 13 hours respectively after a single dose of 50 mg chlortetracycline per 100 g body weight in comparison to an untreated control group. The new peptides could be found in the slight alkaline range 1 and 3 hours after application of chlortetracycline and in the strong acidic area of the electrochromatogram 13 hours thereafter. A more detailed investigation of the new peptides could demonstrate that the number of the following amino acids was reduced in the peptide chains after chlortetracycline: leucine, valine, serine, arginine, and lysine. On the other hand, amino acids, such as citrulline, sarcosine, alpha-aminobutyric acid, and ornithine, could be found which are normally not present in proteins.