Biomaterial Database

Excretion of porphyrins and porphyrin precursors during neuromuscular paralysis produced by dithiobiuret. 1984

W D Atchison, and R E Peterson

Urinary excretion of porphyrin precursors delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and porphobilinogen (PBG) and total porphyrins was measured during intoxication of rats with 2,4-dithiobiuret (DTB), a chemical which produces delayed-onset neuromuscular weakness, in an attempt to ascertain whether or not DTB poisoning in the rat would serve as an animal model of the neurologic symptoms of acute intermittent porphyria. Daily administration of DTB (1 mg/kg/day, i.p.) produced flaccid skeletal muscle weakness first detected after 4 to 5 days of treatment. Onset of skeletal muscle weakness was associated with a significant increase in urinary excretion of ALA. The excretion of PBG and total porphyrin was also increased; however, the increase was not significant. The increase in porphyrins and porphyrin precursors was due to increased urine output which coincided with the onset of neuromuscular weakness; urinary concentrations of ALA, PBG, and porphyrins were not increased by DTB. Measurements of free-erythrocyte protoporphyrin, taken after 7 days of DTB treatment, indicated a significant elevation of free erythrocyte protoporphyrin concentration. The pattern of alterations in the heme precursors associated with DTB-induced paralysis in rats is quite different from that observed in humans afflicted with acute intermittent porphyria. Therefore, we conclude that DTB-induced paralysis in the rat does not represent an accurate animal model of acute intermittent porphyria.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007982	Levulinic Acids	Keto acids that are derivatives of 4-oxopentanoic acids (levulinic acid).	Acids, Levulinic
D008297	Male		Males
D009123	Muscle Hypotonia	A diminution of the skeletal muscle tone marked by a diminished resistance to passive stretching.	Flaccid Muscle Tone,Hypotonia,Decreased Muscle Tone,Floppy Muscles,Hypomyotonia,Hypotony, Muscle,Muscle Flaccidity,Muscle Tone Atonic,Muscle Tone Poor,Muscular Flaccidity,Muscular Hypotonia,Neonatal Hypotonia,Unilateral Hypotonia,Flaccidity, Muscle,Flaccidity, Muscular,Floppy Muscle,Hypotonia, Muscle,Hypotonia, Muscular,Hypotonia, Neonatal,Hypotonia, Unilateral,Hypotonias, Neonatal,Hypotonias, Unilateral,Muscle Hypotony,Muscle Tone Atonics,Muscle Tone, Decreased,Muscle Tone, Flaccid,Muscle, Floppy,Muscles, Floppy,Muscular Flaccidities,Neonatal Hypotonias,Tone Atonic, Muscle,Tone Poor, Muscle
D009468	Neuromuscular Diseases	A general term encompassing lower MOTOR NEURON DISEASE; PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES; and certain MUSCULAR DISEASES. Manifestations include MUSCLE WEAKNESS; FASCICULATION; muscle ATROPHY; SPASM; MYOKYMIA; MUSCLE HYPERTONIA, myalgias, and MUSCLE HYPOTONIA.	Amyotonia Congenita,Oppenheim Disease,Cramp-Fasciculation Syndrome,Fasciculation-Cramp Syndrome, Benign,Foley-Denny-Brown Syndrome,Oppenheim's Disease,Benign Fasciculation-Cramp Syndrome,Benign Fasciculation-Cramp Syndromes,Cramp Fasciculation Syndrome,Cramp-Fasciculation Syndromes,Fasciculation Cramp Syndrome, Benign,Fasciculation-Cramp Syndromes, Benign,Foley Denny Brown Syndrome,Neuromuscular Disease,Oppenheims Disease,Syndrome, Cramp-Fasciculation,Syndrome, Foley-Denny-Brown,Syndromes, Cramp-Fasciculation
D010243	Paralysis	A general term most often used to describe severe or complete loss of muscle strength due to motor system disease from the level of the cerebral cortex to the muscle fiber. This term may also occasionally refer to a loss of sensory function. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p45)	Palsy,Plegia,Todd Paralysis,Todd's Paralysis,Palsies,Paralyses,Paralysis, Todd,Paralysis, Todd's,Plegias,Todds Paralysis
D011162	Porphobilinogen
D011164	Porphyrias	A diverse group of metabolic diseases characterized by errors in the biosynthetic pathway of HEME in the LIVER, the BONE MARROW, or both. They are classified by the deficiency of specific enzymes, the tissue site of enzyme defect, or the clinical features that include neurological (acute) or cutaneous (skin lesions). Porphyrias can be hereditary or acquired as a result of toxicity to the hepatic or erythropoietic marrow tissues.	Porphyria,Porphyrin Disorder,Disorder, Porphyrin,Disorders, Porphyrin,Porphyrin Disorders
D011166	Porphyrins	A group of compounds containing the porphin structure, four pyrrole rings connected by methine bridges in a cyclic configuration to which a variety of side chains are attached. The nature of the side chain is indicated by a prefix, as uroporphyrin, hematoporphyrin, etc. The porphyrins, in combination with iron, form the heme component in biologically significant compounds such as hemoglobin and myoglobin.	Porphyrin
D004195	Disease Models, Animal	Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases.	Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D000622	Aminolevulinic Acid	A compound produced from succinyl-CoA and GLYCINE as an intermediate in heme synthesis. It is used as a PHOTOCHEMOTHERAPY for actinic KERATOSIS.	5-Amino Levulinic Acid,5-Aminolaevulinate,5-Aminolevulinate,Aminolevulinic Acid Hydrochloride,Delta-Aminolevulinic Acid,Levulan,5 Amino Levulinic Acid,5 Aminolaevulinate,5 Aminolevulinate,Acid Hydrochloride, Aminolevulinic,Acid, 5-Amino Levulinic,Acid, Aminolevulinic,Acid, Delta-Aminolevulinic,Delta Aminolevulinic Acid,Hydrochloride, Aminolevulinic Acid,Levulinic Acid, 5-Amino