In vitro oxidation and acetylation of 5-aminoquinoline by rabbit liver enzyme preparation has been investigated. Incubation of 5-aminoquinoline with cytosol fraction of the enzyme preparation in the presence of acetyl coenzyme-A gave rise to three different products, viz. 5-amino-2-hydroxy quinoline, 5-acetyl-aminoquinoline and 5-acetylamino-2-hydroxy quinoline due to the combined action of aldehyde oxidase and N-acetyl transferase. The metabolites thus obtained by enzyme catalysed reactions were isolated and separated by TLC, HPLC and subsequently characterised by IR and mass spectral fragmentation techniques.
