INVESTIGATION ON PLASMA-LEVELS OF THE NEU ROTOXIN -TRICHLOROMETHYL-1,2,3,4-TETRAHYDRO-BETA-CARBOLINE AFTER ORAL-ADMINISTRATION OF CHLORAL HYDRATE IN MAN

Chloral hydrate (GAS 302-17-0) is a widely used hypnotic and sedative agent. It was recently reported in the literature that a neurotoxin, T aClo richloromethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-beta-carboline), may be formed in vitro from tryptamine (Ta) and chloral (Clo). Intraperitoneal admin istration of TaClo led to parkinson-like symptoms in the rat. Hence, t he plasma levels of TaClo were determined at various time-points in 18 healthy volunteers in two periods each during a bioavailability study of several chloral hydrate preparations. The limit of quantitation fo r TaClo was 5 ng/ml. No TaClo could be determined in the plasma of the various volunteers following administration of human therapeutic dose s of chloral hydrate. Hence, it is unlikely that TaClo will be formed in man after application of therapeutic doses of chloral hydrate to pa tients.