Evidence for reduction of hydroxamic acids to the corresponding amides by liver aldehyde oxidase.

Abstract

Recently, interest in hydroxamic acids has been stimulated because of their important biological activities and their clinical use as novel therapeutic agents. The present paper is the first description of the enzyme responsible for the reduction of hydroxamic acids to the corresponding amides, one of the main metabolic reactions of these compounds. Guinea pig and rabbit liver aldehyde oxidase supplemented with its electron donor exhibited significant reductase activity toward salicylhydroxamic acid. The reduction of nicotinhydroxamic acid and anthranilhydroxamic acid by this enzyme was also demonstrated.