INHIBITORY ACTION OF DITHIOCARBAMATES ON ENZYMES OF ANIMAL TISSUES

Technical Report · Tue Feb 28 04:00:00 EST 1961

OSTI ID:4839389

DuBois, K P; Raymund, A B; Hietbrink, B E

A study of the effects of derivatives of dithiocarbamic acid was conducted in an attempt to obtain information on the biochemical mechanisms responsible for their toxicity and their radioprotective action. The compounds employed were sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, diethylammonium diethyldithiocarbamate, dimethylammonium dimethyldithiocarbamate, and bis(dimethyldithiocarbamyl) disulfide. Attention was focused on the actions of these compounds on the oxidative phase of intermediary carbohydrate metabolism. All of the compounds were effective inhibitors of the tricarboxylic acid cycle of animal tissues in vitro as evidenced by inhibition of oxygen consumption, citrate synthesis, pyruvic dehydrogenase, alpha-ketoglutarate oxidase, and succinic dehydrogenase. The salts of dithiocarbamic acid were effective inhibitors of these enzymatic reactions in vivo, but the disulfide, which lacks radioprotective activity, did not inhibit these reactions in the intact animal. The salts of dithiocarbamic acid also rapidly reduced cytochrome c and inhibited tyrosinase activity in vitro. The results suggest that the acute mammalian toxicity of the dithiocarbam ates is the result of their strong inhibitory action on enzymes that require sulfhydryl groups for activity. (auth)

• Research Organization: Chicago. Univ. Air Force Radiation Lab.
• NSA Number: NSA-15-027285
• OSTI ID: 4839389
• Report Number(s): AF-SAM-61-75
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ANIMALS
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
CARBOHYDRATES
ENZYMES
METABOLISM
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
RADIATION PROTECTION
THIOLS
TISSUES
TOXICITY