Metabolism of Reserpine-C14. II. Species Differences as Studied in vitro

Abstract
Reserpine-Cl4 was incubated with liver slices of rat, mouse, guinea pig, rabbit and pigeon. C14O2 and trimethoxybenzoic acid-Cl4 (TMBA) productions were measured. Rat liver slices were most active in the demethylation and oxidation of the 4-methoxy carbon of TMBA moiety to C14O2 while guinea pig liver slices were most active in liberation of TMBA-C14. The microsomes were the main site of the esteratic activity. No correlation was seen between species variation in dose requirement of reserpine and degradative properties of their liver slices.