The fate of the biomimetic cation triaqua-mu-oxohexapropionatotrichromium(III) in rats.

The synthetic biomimetic triaqua-mu-oxohexapropionatotrichromium(III) nitrate when given intravenously to rats lowers fasting blood plasma triglycerides and cholesterol concentrations; thus, the cation has the potential to serve as a therapeutic agent. Its ability to function in vivo presumably is dependent on its ability to mimic the action of the natural, bioactive, chromium-binding oligopeptide chromodulin in stimulating insulin receptor kinase activity. Consequently, the cation should be incorporated into insulin-sensitive cells intact. Thus, the fate of the 51Cr-labeled complex during the first 24 h after injection in tissues, blood, urine, and feces was followed. The complex appears to be readily incorporated into tissues and cells. In hepatocytes, the cation is efficiently transported into microsomes where its concentration reaches a maximum in approximately 2 h.