The anticonvulsant drug carbamazepine is considered as an indicator of sewage water pollution: however, its uptake by plants and effect on metabolism have not been sufficiently documented, let alone its metabolite (10,11-epoxycarbamazepine). In a model system of sterile, hydroponically cultivated Zea mays (as C4 plant) and Helianthus annuus (as C3 plant), the uptake and effect of carbamazepine and 10,11-epoxycarbamazepine were studied in comparison with those of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen were effectively extracted from drug-supplemented media by both plants, while the uptake of more hydrophobic carbamazepine was much lower. On the other hand, the carbamazepine metabolite, 10,11-epoxycarbamazepine, was, unlike sunflower, willingly taken up by maize plants (after 96 h 88 % of the initial concentration) and effectively stored in maize tissues. In addition, the effect of the studied pharmaceuticals on the plant metabolism (enzymes of Hatch-Slack cycle, peroxidases) was followed. The activity of bound peroxidases, which could cause xylem vessel lignification and reduction of xenobiotic uptake, was at the level of control plants in maize leaves contrary to sunflower. Therefore, our results indicate that maize has the potential to remove 10,11-epoxycarbamazepine from contaminated soils.

• Keywords
• 10,11-Epoxycarbamazepine, Acetaminophen, Carbamazepine, Ibuprofen, NADP-ME, PEPC, Peroxidases, Phytoremediation,
• MeSH
• Anticonvulsants analysis   metabolism   MeSH
• Biodegradation, Environmental MeSH
• Helianthus drug effects   growth & development   metabolism   MeSH
• Hydroponics MeSH
• Carbamazepine analogs & derivatives   analysis   metabolism   MeSH
• Zea mays drug effects   growth & development   metabolism   MeSH
• Soil Pollutants analysis   metabolism   MeSH
• Plant Leaves drug effects   growth & development   metabolism   MeSH
• Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anticonvulsants MeSH
• carbamazepine epoxide MeSH Browser
• Carbamazepine MeSH
• Soil Pollutants MeSH