Metabolism of propionyl erythromycin lauryl sulfate. I. Fate of the propionyl erythromycin moiety in the rat
Murphy, P.J.; Williams, T.L.; McMahon, R.E.; Marshall, F.J.
Drug Metabolism and Disposition the Biological Fate of Chemicals 3(3): 155-163
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0090-9556 PMID: 238814 Document Number: 92946
The absorption, excretion, and metabolism of propionyl erythromycin (PE) has been studied in the rat. The major routes of metabolism of PE are ester hydrolysis and N-demethylation. The rates of these two reactions have been examined in vivo using radiolabeled PE. The plasma half-life of the ester is 5.5 hr. The correlation of blood levels of radioactivity with 14CO2 production indicates that the ester is continually hydrolyzed after absorption. The half-life of the dimethyl-amino moiety of the desosamine sugar is estimated at 1.5 hr. This relatively short half-life compared to that of the ester is supported by the fact that at 3.5 hr after dosing there is twice as much desmethyl-PE in plasma as PE. After oral administration of either 14C-PE or 14C-erythromycin, 70% of the radioactivity is absorbed in 6 hr. The major route of excretion is via bile. Approximatley 40% of the absorbed dose is excreted in bile in the first 6 hr after dosing. Tissue levels of radioactivity after administration of 14C-erythromycin or 14C-PE indicate that PE or a metabolite accumulates in the tissue during chronic dosing, whereas erythromycin-related levels are similar after single or multiple doses.