Influencing the carbromal metabolism by means of alcohol

The influence of alcohol on the distribution and metabolism of carbromal was investigated on rats using 14-C-labelled Carbromal. Over a period of 2 hours, the carbromal levels reached in the various organs were compared. The time span chosen was equal to the interval in which alcohol is resorbed, metabolized, and eliminated in rats. In all organs of the alcohol groups, the carbromal levels 30-90 minutes after the application of carbromal were higher by 30-60% than in the control groups. In a discussion, an increased intestinal resorption or a blocked decomposition of carbromal by alcohol were named as possible reasons. To control the carbromal metabolism while applying alcohol, a thin-layer chromotographic separation and detection of the 14-C-labelled substance by means of thin-layer-scanning was carried out after having gone through the biological material and extracted the pharmaceutical. An influence of alcohol on the carbromal metabolism was not detected; there were no significant differences in the metabolism with and without alcohol. It was not found out if the extraction method used has to be regarded as the cause of this finding. (orig./MG)