Charles University in Prague Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of Biochemical Sciences Candidate: Bc. Anna Crhová Supervisor: RNDr. Lucie Stuchlíková Raisová, Ph.D. Title of diploma thesis: Biotransformation of monepantel in plants (Campanula rotundifolia, Plantago lanceolata) Anthelmintics are veterinary drugs used to eliminate disease caused by parasitic worms. Monepantel (MOP) is a representative of amino-acetonitrile derivatives. This relatively new group of drugs is effective on helminthic strains, which are resistant to classic therapy (benzimidazoles, makrocyklic lactones, imidazothiazoles). Due to high consuption of these drugs, it is important to find out their fate in the exposed organisms. Anthelmintics are in contact with the environment and they can affect terrestrial and aquatic organisms. Their various forms can be accumulate in plants. These plants can be eaten by the animal, which may lead to development of resistance in helminths. In addition, the physiology of plants and animals may be disrupt and, consequently, biodiversity loss may occur. The aim of this study was to determine the biotransformation processes occurring in ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata) and harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) after low concentrations of MOP. Suspensions of both plants cells...

Extract from milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., synonym Carduus marianus L., Asteraceae) silymarin contains among others primarily bioactive flavonolignans. They have hepatoprotective and antioxidative effects and also anticancer, chemoprotective, dermatoprotective and hypocholesterolemic activity. This thesis focuses on the preparation of metabolites of the second phase of biotransformation unexplored flavonolignans 2,3-dehydrosilybin (DHSB), silychristin (SCH), 2,3-dehydrosilychristin (DHSCH). Pure sulfated derivatives were prepared using aryl sulfotransferase from Desulfitobacterium hafniense and p-nitrophenyl sulfate (p- NPS) as a donor. Flavonolignans yield exclusively monosulfates at the position C- 20 (C-19 in the case of silychristin and 2,3-dehydrosilychristin), except for 2,3- dehydrosilybin that gives also the 7,20-disulfated derivatives. For all samples were made antioxidant tests - DPPH assay (the highest activity had 2,3-dehydrosilychristin sulfate: IC50= 7,87 µM), Folin-Ciocalteau reduction assay (the highest activity had 2,3-dehydrosilychristin: 1,58 ekvivalents of gallic acid), ABTS+ scavenging (the highest activity had silychristin: 1,50 ekvivalents of vitamin C), inhibition of microsomal lipid peroxidation (the highest activity had 2,3-dehydrosilybin: IC50 = 10,6 µM),...

Charles University Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové Department of Biochemical Sciences Candidate: Bc. Lenka Martínková Supervisor: RNDr. Lucie Raisová Stuchlíková, Ph.D. Title of diploma thesis: Biotransformation of fenbedazole in soya (Glycine max) Veterinary drugs are used in large amounts in modern husbandry for treatment and prevention of diseases in animals. Anthelmintics administered to animals enter into environment primarily through its excretion in faeces or urine. Following excretion, drugs may persist in the environment and impact non-target organisms. Plants are able to uptake xenobiotics, including drugs, and detoxify them via biotransformation. However, only drug biotransformation into non-toxic and stable metabolites and their consequent accumulation in plants represent drug detoxification. For that reasons, knowledge of biotransformation pathways of drug in plants is very important. Soybean plants, eventually seeds, are further used in agriculture as feed for cattle and absorbed anthelmintics including their metabolites can enter the food chain. The results showed that fenbendazole entered plant and enzymatic systems of plant were able to biotransform fenbendazole via several reactions. We found differences in the metabolites between the roots, leaves, seeds and pods of soybean.

No treatment that would completely stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease has not been found yet. Recently used tacrine showed good results in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, however long-term use led to chronic hepatotoxicity due to its metabolites. This master thesis deals with the compound 7-phenoxytacrine, one of the promising tacrine derivatives, which is one of the candidates for potential use in the therapy of Alzheimer's disease. Due to the formation of hepatotoxic metabolites of tacrine after the biotransformation in human liver, it appears necessary to identify the emerging metabolites of 7-phenoxytacrine molecule. Within this master's thesis in vitro biotransformation study of 7-phenoxytacrine using human liver microsomes was performed. High performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine the parent substance and the seventeen 7-phenoxytacrine metabolites. The analytical method showed the formation of six monohydroxylated and eleven dehydroxylated metabolites of 7-phenoxytacrine. Thus, we concluded that hydroxylation is the major metabolic reaction after in vitro microsomal biotransformation. In addition to the identification of metabolites, a quantification and microsomal stability study, including the determination of the amount of...

Candida tropicalis yeast and bacteria Comamonas testosteroni have been considered to be able to metabolize phenol and utilize it as the only source of carbon and energy. In our laboratory we investigated the cytoplasmic enzymes responsible for the first and second step of phenol degradation, NADPH-dependent phenol hydroxylase of both C. tropicalis and C. testosteroni and catechol 1,2-dioxygenase of C. tropicalis. The aim of our study was to isolate and partially characterize those enzymes. Phenol hydroxylase purification consisted of preparation of cytosol from C. tropicalis yeast by fraction centrifugation, chromatography and re-chromatography on a column of DEAE Sepharose, fractionation by precipitation of the enzyme with polyethylene glycol 6000 and gel permeation chromatography on a column of Sephacryl S-300. Extracellular phenol hydroxylase of C. testosteroni was purified by fraction precipitation with polyethylene glycol 6000 and by gel permeation chromatography on 4B Sepharose and Sephacryl S-300. Catechol 1,2-dioxygenase was purified using the procedure consisting of: chromatography and re- chromatography on a column of DEAE Sepharose, lyophilization of the enzyme and gel permeation chromatography on a column of Sephadex G-100. The enzyme activity was determined by two methods: use of HPLC...

The aim of the thesis was to determine whether the individual Se-speciation in the mammalian organism are affected by the form of received selenium. Selenium is an essential micronutrient important for humans and animals. It plays an important role in the antioxidant protection of the organism and in the conversion of thyroid hormones. In our experiment the laboratory Wistar rats were divided into three groups. Each group had a different diet. The rats were fed with selenium in the form of soy, sodium selenite and extracted rapeseed meal. Urine samples were regularly collected during the four-week experiment and in the end of the feeding study, the blood serum was also collected. The total selenium content was measured by ICP-MS, while the individual Se-speciation in urine and serum by HPLC coupled with ICP-MS. In the urine the identified speciation were methylselenocystein (MeSeCys), trimethylselenium (TMSe) and selenosugar 1 and 3. In the blood serum the measured speciation were TMSe, selenite, selenate and selenosugar 1. For the group fed with sodium selenite the measured values in the urine were generally higher, this might be due to a higher overall intake and also an inorganic form of selenium with a lower absorbency. Groups that received selenium from plant sources took in several Se-compounds and the total measured content of Se-speciation and secretion dynamics were not significantly different. Additionally speciation of selenosugar 2 was measured for the group fed with rapeseed meals, which in the other groups did not appear. When receiving selenium from plant sources the biotransformation in the mammalian organism differs in comparison to receiving selenium from mineral salts. The initial hypothesis that Se-speciation is influenced by the form of selenium administered in the diet was confirm by our results. Since the group fed rapeseed showed similar results as the group fed a standard feed with soy, the extracted rapeseed meal could serve as a good source in livestock nutrition.

The object of this thesis was the study on the pharmacokinetics and biotransformation of selected abused new synthetic drugs, specifically belonging to cathinone and aminoindane groups, in experimental rats. This work consisted of two parts: a biotransformation study of mephedrone, methylone, 5,6-methylenedioxy-2- aminoindane (MDAI) and a distribution profile study of mephedrone, methylone, MDAI and naphyrone. This document is presented as a commentary to the original papers, which were published in peer reviewed journals. The samples of blood and tissue (brain, lungs, liver) were taken at specific times after a subcutaneous single bolus dose of the studied drugs. The urine samples for the biotransformation studies were collected over a 24-hour period following the sc. dose. The LC/HRMS method was used for metabolite detection and quantitative analysis. Our findings not only included testing metabolites of the aforementioneddrugs against the synthesized reference standards, but also discovering previously unknown metabolites of these drugs. Ten phase I and five phase II metabolites aside from the parent drug were identified in urine after mephedrone administration by comparison of their spectra against those of reference standards and/or MS2 spectra of previously identified metabolites. The main...

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of genetic and lifestyle factors in the risk of onset and progression of colorectal and pancreatic cancer. The first part deals with the etiological factors and the importance of polymorphisms in biotransformation enzymes and genetic alterations in the gene CHEK2 in the origin of these malignancies. In the second part, the ABC transporter genes were analyzed as potential prognostic and predictive markers of a treatment's outcome. Materials and methods: The polymorphisms and other genetic alterations were detected using real-time PCR, allelespecific PCR and PCR-RFLP methods in DNA which was extracted from the blood of patients. The frequency of polymorphisms was evaluated and their importance was assessed with regard to the available epidemiological data. Gene expressions were determined by qPCR in paired samples of tumor tissue and adjacent non-tumorous parenchyma. Results: A majority of the observed polymorphisms failed to show a relationship between their presence and the risk of any of these malignancies. CYP2A13 variant allele*7 coding inactive enzyme was found in 7 of 265 controls and in none of 235 pancreatic carcinoma patients. In contrast, GSTP1-codon 105 Val variant allele and GSTT1-null genotype were associated with an elevated...

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of genetic and lifestyle factors in the risk of onset and progression of colorectal and pancreatic cancer. The first part deals with the etiological factors and the importance of polymorphisms in biotransformation enzymes and genetic alterations in the gene CHEK2 in the origin of these malignancies. In the second part, the ABC transporter genes were analyzed as potential prognostic and predictive markers of a treatment's outcome. Materials and methods: The polymorphisms and other genetic alterations were detected using real-time PCR, allelespecific PCR and PCR-RFLP methods in DNA which was extracted from the blood of patients. The frequency of polymorphisms was evaluated and their importance was assessed with regard to the available epidemiological data. Gene expressions were determined by qPCR in paired samples of tumor tissue and adjacent non-tumorous parenchyma. Results: A majority of the observed polymorphisms failed to show a relationship between their presence and the risk of any of these malignancies. CYP2A13 variant allele*7 coding inactive enzyme was found in 7 of 265 controls and in none of 235 pancreatic carcinoma patients. In contrast, GSTP1-codon 105 Val variant allele and GSTT1-null genotype were associated with an elevated...

Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequent malignancies and affects approximately 5% of worldwide population. More than 75% of CRC cases represent sporadic forms. Susceptibility to nonhereditary CRC is significantly influenced by polymorphisms and mutations in low-penetrance genes. Variations in biotransformation and DNA repair genes may result in acumulation of toxins and DNA damage in cells leading to the development of cancer. Furthermore, different gene expression profiles of membrane transporters affecting the accumulation of anticancer drugs in tumour cells, e.g. ABC drug transporters, may largely influence inter-individual variability in drug response and chemotherapy outcome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of genetic and lifestyle factors in the risk of onset and progression of colorectal cancer. This study followed selected genetic alterations in xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes (CYP1B1, GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1, NQO1 and EPHX1) and genes involved in response to DNA damage (CHEK2 and NBN), as potential CRC susceptibility factors. Another aim of this study was to investigate expression profile of all human ABC transporter genes to follow their prognostic and predictive potential in colorectal carcinoma. Materials and methods: The polymorphisms and other...