@entity1286 is still the mainstay in treatment of severe @entity158 and is metabolized in the liver mainly by glucuronidation, partly to the pharmacologically active @entity36902 (M6G). The sulfation pathway has attracted much less attention but may also form active metabolites. The aim of the present study was to study two @entity597 metabolites of @entity1286 in @entity1 . Urine and plasma from newborns, adult heroin addicts, and @entity5 @entity1 was analyzed for the presence of morphine-3-sulfate (M3S) and morphine-6-sulfate (M6S) by a new liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. In addition, @entity1286 sulfation was studied in vitro in @entity1 liver cytosol preparations. M3S was present in urine and plasma from all study groups although at lower concentrations than @entity49000 (M3G). The plasma M3S/M3G ratio was 30 times higher in newborns than in adults indicating that the relative sulfation is more important at early stage of life. M6S was measurable in only one plasma sample from a newborn @entity1 , and in one of the urine sample from the drug testing group. The incubation of @entity1286 with liver cytosol extracts resulted in approximately equal rate of formation of both M3S and M6S. In conclusion, sulfation of @entity1286 is catalyzed in @entity1 liver but this minor metabolic pathway probably lacks clinical significance. The M6S metabolite is formed at a low rate, making it undetectable in most individuals.

Detection of morphine-3-sulfate and morphine-6-sulfate in XXXX urine and plasma, and formation in liver cytosol.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['humans', 'human', 'patients', 'patient'] @entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['terminal cancer'] @entity49000 :: ('MESH:C018108', 'Chemical') :: ['morphine-3-glucuronide'] @entity36902 :: ('MESH:C035349', 'Chemical') :: ['morphine-6-glucuronide'] @entity158 :: ('MESH:D010146', 'Disease') :: ['pain'] @entity1286 :: ('MESH:D009020', 'Chemical') :: ['morphine', 'Morphine'] @entity597 :: ('CHEBI:16189', 'Chemical') :: ['sulfate']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['human']
