Oxidative cleavage of the pentyl side-chain of cannabinoids. Identification of new biotransformation pathways in the metabolism of 4'-hydroxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in the mouse

DJ Harvey

University Department of Pharmacology, Oxford, UK.

During an investigation of the mechanisms leading to the formation of metabolites of cannabinoids in which the pentyl side chain is reduced to 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms, the further metabolism of 4'-hydroxy-delta 9- tetrahydrocannabinol was investigated in vivo in mice. Metabolites were extracted with ethyl acetate, concentrated by chromatography on Sephadex LH-20 and identified by GC/MS. Ten metabolites were identified and a further two had tentative structural assignments made. The major metabolic route, in common with that seen with most cannabinoids, was hydroxylation at the allylic 11-position, followed by oxidation to a carboxylic acid. Additional hydroxylation occurred at C-8. Abundant metabolites were also formed by oxidative cleavage of the pentyl side chain. The major metabolites of this type had lost the terminal two carbon atoms to give compounds containing a carboxyethyl side chain. This is the major product normally produced by beta-oxidation of the acid formed from 5'-hydroxy-delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Trace concentrations of two other acids that appeared to have a carboxypropyl side chain were also found. The results show that, in addition to beta- oxidation, initiated by hydroxylation at the 5'-carbon atom (omega- hydroxylation), at least one other oxidative route, initiated by omega- 1-hydroxylation, is involved in the production of metabolites with two carbon atoms missing from the pentyl side chain. This pathway does not seem to have been characterized as a biotransformation mechanism in drug metabolism and a possible mechanism is suggested.

Volume 18, Issue 3, pp. 350-355, 05/01/1990
Copyright © 1990 by American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics

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