Distribution of conduritol B epoxide in the animal model for Gaucher's disease (Gaucher mouse).

The time course of the distribution of the beta-glucosidase inhibitor [3H]conduritol B epoxide was determined in various organs of mice, which had received a single interperitoneal dose of the inhibitor. The epoxide is rapidly distributed over all tissues except brain where its concentration is only one-tenth of the average. This is considered an indication that the epoxide can pass the blood/brain barrier only with difficulty. A 4-fold enrichment is seen in the kidney. The inhibitor is excreted with a half-life of about 7 h; it is not metabolized. A parallel determination of beta-glucosidase activity in the tissues showed greater than 90% inhibition within 1 and 2 h and a beginning recovery between 4 and 12 h. The only exception was brain, where no effects could be seen after 1 h and where a subsequent decrease to 37% of normal was observed after 12 h.