Isolation of an N-alkylprotoporphyrin IX from chick embryo livers following the administration of 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydro-4-ethyl-2,6-dimethylpyridine.

The ferrochelatase-lowering activity of 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydro-2,4,6-trimethylpyridine (DDC) analogues in chick embryo hepatocyte culture has been assumed to be due to the formation of an N-alkylprotoporphyrin IX. This assumption required confirmation. For this reason the 4-ethyl analogue of DDC was administered to phenobarbital-pretreated 19-day-old chick embryos. This resulted in hepatic accumulation of a green pigment with ferrochelatase-inhibitory activity. The green pigment was identified as an N-alkylprotoporphyrin IX by comparison of the electronic absorption spectra of its dimethyl ester and Zn complex with the corresponding spectra obtained from synthetic N-ethylprotoporphyrin IX.