Binding of Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate and Its Metabolites by Rat Blood Plasma and Erythrocytes

Summary

Rat blood plasma and red cells showed strong affinity for PETN. In both systems, PETN was degraded stepwise to PE-trinitrate, PE-dinitrate, PE-mononitrate and PE. PE-trinitrate was bound extensively by erythrocytes. PE, PE-mononitrate and PE-dinitrate were not bound to a significant degree by plasma or erythrocytes. Erythrocytes were more effective than plasma for the degradation of PETN. PE-mononitrate was the most resistant substrate in the series.