The effect of environment on tryptophan metabolism "via kynurenine" in oral contraceptives users.

We have studied tryptophan metabolism "via kynurenine" in women who were oral contraceptives users, living in two different egyptian environments: in the city of Alexandria or in a rural area near Tanta and, in comparison, in control groups of women living in the same environments but who were not contraceptives users. In the non contraceptives users of Tanta we have registered a higher elimination of some metabolites (anthranilic acid, kynurenic acid, xanthurenic acid and 3-OH-anthranilic acid) which might be related to the way of life and environment. The pattern of the kynurenine pathway metabolites of the contraceptives users (studied 1, 3 and 12 months after contraceptives administration) shows some differences with respect to the controls, both in the spontaneous elimination and in that after tryptophan load. These differences are especially evident for anthranilic acid glucuronide, kynurenine and kynurenic, anthranilic and xanthurenic acids. Some differences may be observed after 1 month of contraceptives administration. The effect of tryptophan oral load is superimposed on those of environment and contraceptives use; in the spontaneous elimination of tryptophan metabolites an accomodation to the contraceptives administration is evident. The discrepancies between some of our results and those of the literature might be related to the influence of environmental factors and of the way of life.