Studies on the pathway of methane formation from procarbazine, a 2-methylbenzylhydrazine derivative, by rat liver microsomes

The oxidative metabolism of procarbazine, its azo, hydrazone, and two azoxy derivatives, and methylhydrazine by hepatic microsomes from phenobarbital-pretreated rats was investigated to elucidate the pathway of metabolism that resulted in methane formation from procarbazine. When incubated with microsomal reaction mixtures fortified with NADPH, all of the compounds, except the azoxy isomers, were metabolized to yield methane. A lag phase in methane formation was noted for procarbazine, but not for the other compounds. Kinetic and inhibition studies utilizing methimazole and ethylhydrazine precluded methylhydrazine as an intermediate in methane formation from procarbazine. When the azo derivative was oxidatively metabolized in the presence of liver microsomes, no hydrazone tautomer was detected. Upon monitoring the production of the azo and hydrazone metabolites formed during microsomal metabolism of procarbazine, the azo derivative was formed in sufficient quantities to account for the majority of the methane produced. In addition, small amounts of hydrazone were also detected. It was concluded that both the azo and hydrazone metabolites of procarbazine contribute to methane formation from the terminal methyl group of the hydrazine with the azo derivative being the predominant source and the hydrazone derivative being a minor source of methane. Consideration of the chemical and enzymatic pathways of procarbazine oxidation and the implication of a methyl radical intermediate in methane formation are discussed.