PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Julius Axelrod AU - Hans Weil-Malherbe AU - Robert Tomchick TI - THE PHYSIOLOGICAL DISPOSITION OF H<sup>3</sup>-EPINEPHRINE AND ITS METABOLITE METANEPHRINE DP - 1959 Dec 01 TA - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics PG - 251--256 VI - 127 IP - 4 4099 - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/127/4/251.short 4100 - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/127/4/251.full SO - J Pharmacol Exp Ther1959 Dec 01; 127 AB - Methods for the estimation of H3-labeled epinephrine, metanephrine and their deaminated products are described. The concentrations of H3-epinephrine and its principal metabolite, H3-metanephrine, were determined in plasma and various tissues of cats after the intravenous administration of H3-epinephrine. H3-epinephrine was found to be taken up rapidly and selectively by heart, spleen and several glandular tissues. Only small amounts were found in muscle and negligible amounts in brain. Two hours after the intravenous administration significant concentrations were still present in all tissues examined. Two minutes after a rapid injection of H3- epinephrine the concentrations of H3-metanephrine were higher in most tissues than those of H3- epinephrine, indicating rapid O-methylation of the hormone during the period of its inactivation. Deamination during this time was negligible. H3-metanephrine was found to be present in relatively high concentration in liver, heart, kidney, spleen and lung. Only trace amounts were found in the brain. H3-metanephrine was retained by tissues but to a smaller extent than H3- epinephrine. The disappearance of H3-epinephrine from plasma after an intravenous injection has two phases: an initial rapid fall, reflecting diffusion into tissues and O-methylation, followed by a slower decline indicating a gradual release from binding sites and concurrent metabolism. Two minutes after the administration of H3-epinephrine, the plasma level of H3- metanephrine was slightly higher than and later paralleled that of the parent compound. The fate of H3-epinephrine was examined in the whole mouse after an intravenous injection. Within a few minutes more than half of H3- epinephrine was metabolized. Most of the epinephrine metabolized could be accounted for as metanephrine. The remainder of the epinephrine disappeared more slowly over a period of hours.