Disposition of dapsone in protein deficiency--an experimental study in mice

With an aim to evaluate the metabolic disposition of Dapsone (DDS) in protein malnutrition, a study was undertaken to determine DDS content of blood and tissues of protein deficient mice in comparison to the levels in ad-libitum and pair-fed mice. Three groups of Rockfeller's strain mice of same sex (roughly weighing 25 gm) were fed on low protein diet and high protein diet (for pair-fed and ad-libitum groups). After one month feeding DDS was administered by oral intubation daily for 7 days at a dose of 0.01 mg per g body weight. On 7th day animals were sacrificed 3 hours after DDS administration. Heparinised blood was collected from ocular plexus. Tissues (liver and kidney) were taken out for DDS estimations. DDS levels were determined by the method of Simpson (1949) and tissue protein content was assayed by the method of Lowry et al (1951). Hypoproteinemic mice presented higher values for blood and tissue DDS as compared to their pair-fed and ad-libitum fed groups. Our observations indicate that in hypoproteinemic mice, on account of the possible diminished binding of DDS to plasma albumin, the concentration of free DDS in blood and in tissues is higher.