Quaternary N-glucuronides of 10-hydroxylated amitriptyline metabolites in human urine.

1. Conjugated metabolites were isolated from the urine of patients receiving amitriptyline treatment using a combination of solid-phase extraction, h.p.

Glucuronides of hydroxylated metabolites of amitriptyline and nortriptyline isolated from rat bile.

Polar conjugates were isolated from the bile of rats given amitriptyline (AT, unlabeled or labeled with 14C), nortriptyline (NT), or 10-hydroxy (10-OH) derivatives of the drugs. The procedure involved extraction on a column of polystyrene resin, elution with methanol, and separation by preparative TLC followed by reversed phase HPLC. Individual metabolites were characterized by NMR spectroscopy and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and by enzymatic or acid deconjugation with subsequent identification of aglycones and glucuronic acid.