Commercially available equipment can be modified to provide automated system for assaying drug metabolism by continuous flow-through. System includes steps and devices for mixing drug with enzyme and cofactor in the presence of pure oxygen, dialyzing resulting metabolite against buffer, and determining amount of metabolite by colorimetric method

Feller, D. D.

Furner, R. L.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

February 1973	 B7340030 
•	 NASA TECH BRIEF 
Ames Research Center	 4r 
-..• 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage 
commercial application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the National Technical Information 
Service, Springfield, Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the Tech Brief program may 
be directed to the Technology Utilization Office, NASA, Code KT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
Automated Method for Study of Drug Metabolism 
An automated system for assaying drug metabolism 
by a continuous flow-through technique has been 
devised; basic, commercially available equipment or-
rump 
dinarily used for automated analyses can readily 
be modified to accommodate the analytical scheme
shown in the flow diagram. Unlike prior semiauto-
mated methods, the newly developed system includes 
steps and devices for mixing the drug with enzyme 
and cofactor in the presence of pure oxygen, dialyzing 
the resulting metabolite against buffer, and determin-
ing the amount of metabolite by a colorimetric method. 
As indicated in the diagram, the cofactor-substrate 
is picked up in line 1 and the enzyme is picked up in 
line 2; the pickup system includes a device which 
automatically refills a trough or reservoir to a pre-
determined level. After mixing, the sample is split 
into two portions at S; one portion of the sample (for 
determination of protein) is diluted with buffer and 
aerated at point. A. Then, the mixture is combined 
with alkaline cupric tartrate and, a short time later, 
with aqueous Folin-Ciocalteu phenol; subsequently, 
the mixture is delivered to the colorimeter. The other 
portion of the sample is oxygenated in line 2, incu-
bated in a coil of tubing at 37°C for about 10 minutes 
to form the metabolite, and then dialyzed. A suitable 
color-forming reagent is mixed with the metabolite 
at R and, after a short time, the concentration of 
metabolite is determined in a colorimeter. 
References: 
1. Furner, R.L., and Feller, D.D.: Improved Auto-
mated Method for the Study of Drug Metabolism. 
Biochemical Pharmacology, vol. 21, p.,1549, 1972. 
2. Furrier, R. L.: Automated Method for Studying the 
Hepatic Metabolism of Aniline, Ethylmorphine, 
or p-Nitroanisole. Biochemical Pharmacology, vol. 
20, p. 3161, 1971.
(continued overleaf) 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National	 Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 	 information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States 	 will be free from privately owned rights.
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Note: 
No additional documentation is available. Specific 
questions, however, may be directed to: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
Ames Research Center 
Moffett Field, California 94035 
Reference: B 73-10030 
Patent status: 
This invention is owned by NASA, and a patent
application has been filed. Inquiries concerning non-
exclusive or exclusive license for its commercial de-
velopment should be addressed to:	 0 
NASA Patent Counsel 
Mail Code 200-1A 
Ames Research Center 
Moffett Field, California 94035 
Source: Raymond L. Furner and David D. Feller
Ames Research Center
(ARC-10469)
I 
I 
B73-10030	 Category 04


Automated method for study of drug metabolism

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