STRUCTURAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE HEMOLYTIC EFFECT OF PHENYLHYDRAZINE DERIVATIVES ON AMPHIBIAN RED CELLS

¹ Department of Chemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida

Phenylhydrazine, in doses comparable to those used in mammalian systems, produced a rapid hemolysis resulting in hemoglobin-less and erythrocyte-less tadpoles and froglets without jeopardizing their survival. The compound is effective when given by injection or by immersion. Adult frogs showed less response and higher mortality. A spectral index was introduced as a criterion to evaluate the changes in the hemoglobin spectrum produced by hemolytic drugs in in vivo and in vitro amphibian systems. The in vitro effects of these compounds were found to correlate with the hemolytic activity observed in vivo. The effects of 43 hydrazine derivatives and other potentially hemolytic compounds were studied and the structural requirements for their hemolytic action determined. For maximum hemolytic activity, hydrazine should be monosubstituted, preferably with an aromatic group such as the phenyl ring. Certain substitutions such as halogenation, methylation or nitration enhanced hemolytic activity but also increased toxicity. Acidic or aliphatic substituents or disubstitution greatly reduced the hemolytic activity of hydrazine derivatives. Several hydrazides were completely inactive, except N-acetylphenylhydrazine which was believed to hydrolyze before becoming active.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. Broyles and M. Deutsch Differentiation of red blood cells in vitro Science, October 31, 1975; 190(4213): 471 - 473. [Abstract] [PDF]