Metabolism of [14C]methamphetamine in man, the guinea pig and the rat

Abstract

1. The metabolites of (±)-2-methylamino-1-phenyl[1-14C]propane ([14C]methamphetamine) in urine were examined in man, rat and guinea pig. 2. In two male human subjects receiving the drug orally (20mg per person) about 90% of the14C was excreted in the urine in 4 days. The urine of the first day was examined for metabolites, and the main metabolites were the unchanged drug (22% of the dose) and 4-hydroxymethamphetamine (15%). Minor metabolites were hippuric acid, norephedrine, 4-hydroxyamphetamine, 4-hydroxynorephedrine and an acid-labile precursor of benzyl methyl ketone. 3. In the rat some 82% of the dose of14C (45mg/kg) was excreted in the urine and 2–3% in the faeces in 3–4 days. In 2 days the main metabolites in the urine were 4-hydroxymethamphetamine (31% of dose), 4-hydroxynorephedrine (16%) and unchanged drug (11%). Minor metabolites were amphetamine, 4-hydroxyamphetamine and benzoic acid. 4. The guinea pig was injected intraperitoneally with the drug at two doses, 10 and 45mg/kg. In both cases nearly 90% of the14C was excreted, mainly in the urine after the lower dose, but in the urine (69%) and faeces (18%) after the higher dose. The main metabolites in the guinea pig were benzoic acid and its conjugates. Minor metabolites were unchanged drug, amphetamine, norephedrine, an acid-labile precursor of benzyl methyl ketone and an unknown weakly acidic metabolite. The output of norephedrine was dose-dependent, being about 19% on the higher dose and about 1% on the lower dose. 5. Marked species differences in the metabolism of methamphetamine were observed. The main reaction in the rat was aromatic hydroxylation, in the guinea pig demethylation and deamination, whereas in man much of the drug, possibly one-half, was excreted unchanged.