Free radical metabolism of halothane in vivo: radical adducts detected in bile.

Two radical adduct species have been detected in the bile of living rats treated with halothane and phenyl-N-t-butylnitrone (PBN). The treatment of rats with 12% oxygen was required for radical adduct detection. Analysis of the corresponding EPR spectra obtained when deuterated PBN and deuterated halothane or [2-13C]halothane was used shows that these two species result from the spin trapping of two halothane-derived free radicals. Coupling constants were aN = 15.72 G, a beta H = 2.09 G, a gamma H = 0.79 G, and aF = 0.63 G(3F) and aN = 15.16 G, a beta H = 4.14 G, a gamma H = 0.48 G, and aF = 0.3 G(3F) for the two species. Two radical adducts with similar coupling constants were detected when halothane was reduced by zinc dust in the presence of PBN, suggesting that the formation of these two distinct species from halothane can be attributed to the one-electron reduction of halothane and the formation of diastereomeric radical adducts. The identification of both radical adducts as halothane-derived species indicates that there is no in vivo EPR evidence for lipid radical formation during halothane intoxication, as had previously been reported.