RPH-2823

Effects of standard diuretics and RPH 2823 on transepithelial Na+ transport in isolated frog skin

Short-circuit current (SCC) techniques were used to monitor the effects of various diuretic agents on Na+ transport in isolated frog skin, a model for the late distal tubule and the collecting duct of the mammalian kidney. Acetazolamide, hydrochlorothiazide, torasemide, and ethacrynic acid did not affect sodium transport (as indicated by the SCC) or transepithelial electrical resistance when added either to the apical (outer) or to the inner (basolateral, corial) bathing solution of the tissue. However, Na+ transport was sensitive to amiloride, the triamterene derivate dimethylamino-hydroxypropoxytriamterene (RPH 2823), and to furosemide. Whereas apical amiloride, and RPH 2823 induced a dose-dependent decrease in SCC and increase in transepithelial electrical resistance, apical furosemide resulted in a dose-dependent increase in SCC and a decrease in electrical resistance. None of the three diuretic agents caused a significant change in SCC when applied to the inner bathing Ringer's solution. The small furosemide-induced decrease in resistance compared with the huge increase in SCC suggests that furosemide affects Cl- permeability as well as Na+ permeability. Evidence for this notion was achieved by the following findings: The decrease in resistance after furosemide was more pronounced in tissues bathed in Cl(-)-free solutions compared with Cl(-)-containing solutions. n contrast, SCC stimulation by apical furosemide is Cl(-)-ion independent, but strongly Na+-ion dependent. SCC stimulation by furosemide is amiloride-sensitive. With respect to the onset, locus, and reversibility of action, it seems reasonable to assume that amiloride, RPH 2823, and furosemide all influence transepithelial Na+ transport by interacting with the Na+ channel or a regulator site of it within the apical membrane. The stoichiometry of the amiloride (RPH 2823)-receptor site interaction revealed Hill-coefficient(s) of less than 1, indicating a negative cooperativity among the receptor sites. The interaction between Na+ ions and amiloride or RPH 2823 displayed mixed competitive-noncompetitive inhibition. Taken together, these results support the hypothesis that amiloride and Na+ as well as RPH 2823 and Na+ may act at different loci on the apical entry mechanism in Rana esculenta skin.

Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of the basic triamterene analogue dimethylaminohydroxypropoxytriamterene

The diuretic, natriuretic and potassium retaining effects of dimethylaminohydroxypropoxytriamterene (RPH 2823), a basic triamterene derivative, were studied in male Wistar rats. Compared to triamterene (TA) RPH 2823 has a pronounced effect on urine volume and on the excretion of sodium; in addition it possesses a higher antikaliuretic potency than TA. In combination with furosemide, 2.5 mumol/kg RPH 2823 can avoid the kaliuresis of 25 mumol/kg furosemide. The pharmacokinetics of RPH 2823 after i.v. application of 1 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg were studied in female rats. The substance is not metabolized. RPH 2823 has a terminal elimination half-life of 3 h. About 47% of the given dose are excreted unchanged with urine. Furthermore, the volume of distribution VD beta and the total body clearance were calculated.

Blockade of epithelial Na+ channels by triamterenes - underlying mechanisms and molecular basis

The three subunits (alpha, beta, gamma) encoding for the rat epithelial Na+ channel (rENaC) were expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and the induced Na+ conductance was tested for its sensitivity to various triamterene derivatives. Triamterene blocked rENaC in a voltage-dependent manner, and was 100-fold less potent than amiloride at pH 7.5. At -90 mV and -40 mV, the IC50 values were 5 microM and 10 microM, respectively. The blockage by triamterene, which is a weak base with a pKa of 6.2, was dependent on the extracellular pH. The IC50 was 1 microM at pH 6.5 and only 17 microM at pH 8.5, suggesting that the protonated compound is more potent than the unprotonated one. According to a simple kinetic analysis, the apparent inhibition constants at -90 mV were 0.74 microM for the charged and 100.6 microM for the uncharged triamterene. The main metabolite of triamterene, p-hydroxytriamterene sulfuric acid ester, inhibited rENaC with an approximately twofold lower affinity. Derivatives of triamterene, in which the p-position of the phenylmoiety was substituted by acidic or basic residues, inhibited rENaC with IC50 values in the range of 0.1-20 microM. Acidic and basic triamterenes produced a rENaC blockade with a similar voltage and pH dependence as the parent compound, suggesting that the pteridinemoiety of triamterene is responsible for that characteristic. Expression of the rENaC alpha-subunit-deletion mutant, Delta278-283, which lacks a putative amiloride-binding site, induced a Na+ channel with a greatly reduced affinity for both triamterene and amiloride. In summary, rENaC is a molecular target for triamterene that binds to its binding site within the electrical field, preferably as a positively charged molecule in a voltage- and pH-dependent fashion. We propose that amiloride and triamterene bind to rENaC using very similar mechanisms.

Fluorimetric determination of dimethylaminohydroxypropoxytriamterene in biological fluids by direct evaluation of thin-layer chromatograms

A sensitive and specific thin-layer chromatographic method for the determination of the new antikaliuretic compound dimethylaminohydroxypropoxytriamterene (RPH 2823) in plasma and urine of rats is described. After dilution of the samples with methanol the tlc-separation is performed on silica gel plates in chloroform-methanol and NH3-atmosphere. RPH 2823 is recovered quantitatively from plasma and urine. The limit of detection is 5 ng/ml plasma and 50 ng/ml urine. The standard deviation of the method is 5% or less.

Studies with triamterene derivatives for oral application

The diuretic effects, expressed as the urinary Na+/K+ ratios, after oral application of triamterene (TA) and three representatives of a series of TA derivatives - dimethylaminohydroxypropoxytriamterene, carboxybutoxytriamterene and its ethyl ester - are investigated in male Wistar rats. Although the TA analogues are potent diuretics when they are given intravenously, very high oral doses are necessary to produce slight diuretic effects. This result is due to an insufficient absorption of the compounds in the gastrointestinal tract of the rat.