Determination of p-aminobenzoic acid and its metabolites in rabbit plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

Plasmodium Para-Aminobenzoate Synthesis and Salvage Resolve Avoidance of Folate Competition and Adaptation to Host Diet

Folate metabolism is essential for DNA synthesis and a validated drug target in fast-growing cell populations, including tumors and malaria parasites. Genome data suggest that Plasmodium has retained its capacity to generate folates de novo. However, the metabolic plasticity of folate uptake and biosynthesis by the malaria parasite remains unresolved. Here, we demonstrate that Plasmodium uses an aminodeoxychorismate synthase and an aminodeoxychorismate lyase to promote the biogenesis of the central folate precursor para-aminobenzoate (pABA) in the cytoplasm. We show that the parasite depends on de novo folate synthesis only when dietary intake of pABA by the mammalian host is restricted and that only pABA, rather than fully formed folate, is taken up efficiently. This adaptation, which readily adjusts infection to highly variable pABA levels in the mammalian diet, is specific to blood stages and may have evolved to avoid folate competition between the parasite and its host.

Determination of p-aminohippuric acid with β-cyclodextrin sensitized fluorescence spectrometry

Sensitive spectrofluorometric and HPLC with fluorescence detection methods have been developed for detection and determination of para-aminohippuric acid (a marker used for estimating effective renal plasma flow) in the presence of β-cyclodextrin.

A structural and spectroscopic study on para-aminohippuric acid with experimental and theoretical approaches

In this work, the molecular conformation, vibrational and electronic analysis of para-aminohippuric acid (pAHA, C(9)H(10)N(2)O(3)) were presented for the ground state using experimental techniques (FT-IR, FT-Raman and UV) and density functional theory (DFT) employing B3LYP exchange correlation with the 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra were recorded in the regions of 400-4000cm(-1) and 50-4000cm(-1), respectively. The UV absorption spectra of the compound that dissolved in ethanol and water solution were recorded in the range of 190-400nm. Potential energy curve was computed by means of scanning NCCO torsion angle. The geometry optimization and the energies associated possible four conformers (C1-C4) were computed. The computational results diagnose the most stable conformer of pAHA as the C1 form. Optimized structure of compound was interpreted and compared with the earlier reported experimental values. The complete assignments of fundamental vibrations were performed on the basis of the total energy distribution (TED) of the vibrational modes, calculated with scaled quantum mechanics (SQM) method. A study on the electronic properties, such as frontier molecular energies, absorption wavelengths and oscillator strengths, were predicted by time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) approach, while taking solvent effects into account. To investigate non-linear optical properties: polarizability, anisotropy of polarizability and molecular first hyperpolarizability of molecule were computed. Thermodynamic properties (heat capacity, entropy and enthalpy) of the title compound at different temperatures were calculated.

Simultaneous determination of p-aminobenzoic acid and its metabolites in the urine of volunteers, treated with p-aminobenzoic acid sunscreen formulation

p-Aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and its metabolites (p-aminohippuric acid, p-acetamidobenzoic acid, and p-acetamidohippuric acid) were detected using high-performance liquid chromatography with an electrochemical (carbon paste) detector (HPLC-ECD). For direct current (dc) mode, with the current at a constant potential, and measurements with suitable experimental parameters, a linear concentration from 0.125 to 1.80 microg/ml was found. The detection limit was approximately 2.0 ng/ml. A carbon paste coulometric detector was used to demonstrate that PABA and its metabolites are electrochemically oxidized in acidic media, and to determine, by analyzing human urine, the percutaneous absorption of PABA and its metabolites. Findings using HPLC-ECD and HPLC with an ultraviolet detector (HPLC-UV) were comparable.

Free and total para-aminobenzoic acid analysis in plants with high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

para-Aminobenzoic acid (PABA), a precursor in the synthesis of folates in plants, is determined by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). In plants PABA can be converted into its beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (PABA-Glc) and can also exist in its free form. In this work, we developed and validated a quantitative method to study free and total PABA in plants. The total PABA (free PABA plus PABA-Glc) can be evaluated after acid hydrolysis at 80 degrees C for 2 hours. The plant material is homogenized and the PABA content is quantified using the standard addition procedure. The validated method is selective, sensitive, simple, accurate, has a recovery between 99.6 to 102.5%, is reproducible (RSD between 1.4 and 4.4%), and is linear between 2.5 and 1538 ng/mL. Free and total PABA determinations in five vegetables showed that different plant species had different amounts of free and total PABA, and that the ratios of total versus free PABA were also variable. This new method could be valuable for studies of folate synthesis in plants.

Simultaneous determination of inulin and p-aminohippuric acid in plasma and urine by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A simple, accurate and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method with UV detection was carried out to measure simultaneously plasma and urine concentrations of both p-aminohippuric acid and inulin. Following a simplified acid hydrolysis of the sample, the separation was carried out in 4 min using a C18 reversed-phase column with a flow-rate of 1 ml/min, and monitoring the absorbance at 280 nm. Within the investigated concentration ranges of inulin (0.1-3.2 mg/ml) and p-aminohippuric acid (0.0097-0.3 mg/ml), good linearity (r>0.99) was obtained. Within-run RSD ranged from 2.9 to 6.1% and between-run RSD ranged from 6.4 to 10%. Analytical recoveries were 101-112%, with little differences between plasma and urine samples. The detection limit was 1 microg/ml for all the analytes studied. This method might be ideal for renal function studies where a rapid and reproducible assessment of both renal glomerular filtration rate and blood flow-rate is required.

Metabolic kinetics of p-aminobenzoic acid in rabbits

The metabolic kinetics of p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) in rabbits was studied. PABA is predominantly metabolized by acetylation and glycine conjugation to form p-acetamidobenzoic acid (PAABA), p-aminohippuric acid (PAHA), and p-acetamidohippuric acid (PAAHA). After PABA IV administration (20 mg/kg) to rapid (n=16) and slow (n=8) acetylation rabbits, PABA was eliminated rapidly. The half-lives of PABA were 7.01+/-0.32 min in rapid acetylation rabbits and 7.08+/-0.78 min in slow acetylation rabbits. Significant differences were obtained in formation of PAABA and PAHA formed from PABA in both acetylation phenotype rabbits. The formation fraction of PAABA, formed by acetylation of PABA, was 0.8029+/-0.0267 in rapid acetylators and 0.2385+/-0.0428 in slow acetylators (p<0.001). PAHA formed from PABA was 0.0462+/-0.0102 in rapid acetylators and 0. 6652+/-0.0562 in slow acetylators (p<0.001). Only 0.0156+/-0.0030 of PABA could be detected as PAAHA in rapid acetylation rabbits which was obtained by acetylation of PAHA. After individual IV injection of PAHA, PAAHA, and PAABA to both phenotypes of rabbits, PAABA and PAAHA were eliminated in their unchanged forms whereas PAHA was further acetylated to form PAAHA. The formation fraction of PAAHA formed from the acetylation of PAHA was 0.4408+/-0.0570 in rapid acetylators and 0.0539+/-0.0084 in slow acetylators (p=0.002). From the results obtained, metabolic pathways of PABA show significant differences in both acetylation phenotypes of rabbits. Acetylation is the major metabolic route of PABA in rapid acetylation rabbits, while glycine conjugation is more predominant in slow acetylation rabbits.