Inhibition of cytochrome P450c11 by biogenic amines and an aziridine precursor, 2-(4-acetoxyphenyl)-2-chloro-N-methyl-ethylammonium chloride.

The interaction of several biogenic amines and Compound A (2-(4-acetoxyphenyl)-2-chloro- N-methyl-ethylammonium chloride), an analogue of the active substance in a HPLC fraction isolated from the shrub, Salsola tuberculatiformis Botsch., with cytochrome P450c11 was investigated. Noradrenaline, octopamine and Compound A inhibited the type I DOC induced difference spectrum of P450c11 and elicited a type II difference spectrum when added alone. The Ks-values for noradrenaline, octopamine, and Compound A were 0.8 mM, 0.16 mM and 0.36 mM, respectively. Dopamine, adrenaline and synephrine did not interact with, or inhibit, P450c11. Further investigation of Compound A indicated that it is a mixed inhibitor of sheep P450c11 with a stronger competitive (Kic = 106-110 microM) than uncompetitive (Kiu = 667-737 microM) element, and that it inhibits the conversion of deoxycorticosterone to corticosterone by human 11beta-hydroxylase and aldosterone synthase with EC50 values of 97 microM and 190 microM, respectively, in fetal calf serum.