Studies on the metabolism of the new anti-hypertensive agent, indoramin, in man

What is the Objective of the Mass Balance Study? A Retrospective Analysis of Data in Animal and Human Excretion Studies Employing Radiolabeled Drugs

Mass balance excretion studies in laboratory animals and humans using radiolabeled compounds represent a standard part of the development process for new drugs. From these studies, the total fate of drug-related material is obtained: mass balance, routes of excretion, and, with additional analyses, metabolic pathways. However, rarely does the mass balance in radiolabeled excretion studies truly achieve 100% recovery. Many definitions of cutoff criteria for mass balance that identify acceptable versus unacceptable recovery have been presented as ad hoc statements without a strong rationale. To address this, a retrospective analysis was undertaken to explore the overall performance of mass balance studies in both laboratory animal species and humans using data for 27 proprietary compounds within Pfizer and extensive review of published studies. The review has examined variation in recovery and the question of whether low recovery was a cause for concern in terms of drug safety. Overall, mean recovery was greater in rats and dogs than in humans. When the circulating half-life of total radioactivity is greater than 50 h, the recovery tends to be lower. Excretion data from the literature were queried as to whether drugs linked with toxicities associated with sequestration in tissues or covalent binding exhibit low mass balance. This was not the case, unless the sequestration led to a long elimination half-life of drug-related material. In the vast majority of cases, sequestration or concentration of drug-related material in an organ or tissue was without deleterious effect and, in some cases, was related to the pharmacological mechanism of action. Overall, from these data, recovery of radiolabel would normally be equal to or greater than 90%, 85%, and 80% in rat, dog, and human, respectively. Since several technical limitations can underlie a lack of mass balance and since mass balance data are not sensitive indicators of the potential for toxicity arising via tissue sequestration, absolute recovery in humans should not be used as a major decision criteria as to whether a radiolabeled study has met its objectives. Instead, the study should be seen as an integral part of drug development answering four principal questions: 1) Is the proposed clearance mechanism sufficiently supported by the identities of the drug-related materials in excreta, so as to provide a complete understanding of clearance and potential contributors to interpatient variability and drug-drug interactions? 2) What are the drug-related entities present in circulation that are the active principals contributing to primary and secondary pharmacology? 3) Are there findings (low extraction recovery of radiolabel from plasma, metabolite structures indicative of chemically reactive intermediates) that suggest potential safety issues requiring further risk assessment? 4) Do questions 2 and 3 have appropriate preclinical support in terms of pharmacology, safety pharmacology, and toxicology? Only if one or more of these four questions remain unanswered should additional mass balance studies be considered.

A review of the clinical pharmacokinetics and metabolism of the alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist indoramin

1. The alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist indoramin is rapidly and extensively absorbed after oral administration, but with only low to moderate bioavailability (8-24% median) from the tablet (Baratol). Although plasma protein binding is high (72-86%), the drug is widely distributed into tissues (with median Vz 6.3-7.7 l/kg after i.v. dosage). 2. Elimination of indoramin is rapid in most healthy volunteers, with median plasma clearances of 18-26 ml/min per kg, after i.v. dosage. Elimination occurs principally by metabolism, the major route being indole 6-hydroxylation, followed by sulphate conjugation of 6-hydroxyindoramin. The faecal route of excretion predominates (45-50% of dose), with a further 35-40% in the urine. 3. Extensive variation in single-dose oral pharmacokinetics of indoramin is due largely to the existence of a poor metabolizer phenotype which co-segregates with that of debrisoquine. 4. On repeated administration (37.5 mg twice daily) to healthy volunteers, plasma concentrations of indoramin accumulate 3-4-fold above those anticipated from single-dose kinetics. However, steady state is achieved within the first week of dosing. 5. The pharmacokinetics of indoramin are substantially altered in the elderly. The oral AUC for a 50 mg dose is increased approx. 5-fold and the t1/2 2.5-fold. 6. Cirrhotic liver disease enhances bioavailability and decreases clearance, approx. 2-fold in each case for single oral and i.v. doses of 50 mg and 0.15 mg/kg respectively. 7. After oral indoramin Cmax and AUC are both raised (58% and 25%, respectively, for a 50 mg dose) by co-ingested ethanol (0.5 g/kg). After i.v. indoramin, kinetics are unaffected by alcohol, but indoramin (0.175 mg/kg) slightly increases (26%) blood ethanol concentrations during the first hour after dosing. 8. The pharmacodynamics of indoramin appear to be related to the combined pharmacokinetics of the drug and its 6-hydroxylated metabolite, which contributes to the antihypertensive effect.

New alpha 1-adrenergic receptor antagonists for the treatment of hypertension: role of vascular alpha receptors in the control of peripheral resistance

The pharmacology, clinical efficacy and safety of new alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonists for the treatment of hypertension was reviewed (Table XIV). Although all these agents block alpha 1 receptors, some of them have additional effects on histamine, serotonin, dopamine, and alpha 2 receptors. These other actions account for the differences in the side effect profiles observed, i.e., increased incidence of central nervous system side effects found with indoramin, ketanserin, and urapidil, as well as for some additional beneficial effects of ketanserin (i.e., antiplatelet aggregation activity). The magnitude of BP reduction observed with antagonists of alpha 1-adrenergic receptors is modest. In most studies, the degree of BP reduction is comparable to that of prazosin, but less than that achieved with thiazide diuretics, beta-receptor antagonists, or methyldopa. Studies on the comparative efficacy and safety of new alpha 1 antagonists with converting enzyme inhibitors or calcium-channel blockers are not available. In general, alpha 1 antagonists produce greater reductions in standing than in supine BP, an effect due to the venodilatory action of these drugs. New alpha 1 antagonists appear to have equal efficacy in black and white hypertensive individuals. Their comparative efficacy and safety in young vs elderly hypertensive individuals requires further investigation. No information about the possible development of tolerance during treatment with new alpha 1 blockers was encountered. The effects of alpha 1 antagonists on HR are variable and depend on how long after the oral dose the measurements were obtained. In most studies, no significant HR changes are noticed for readings obtained 24 hours post dose; whereas tachycardia has been observed at the time of peak hypotension. Since alpha 1 antagonist-induced tachycardia is most likely of reflex nature, i.e., mediated to an increase in sympathetic activity, the increased HR may be associated with increases in myocardial contractility and in myocardial oxygen consumption. Consequently, a 24-hour HR monitoring during treatment with alpha 1 antagonists should be required for evaluation of new agents. The hemodynamic, humoral, and hormonal effects of the newer alpha 1-receptor antagonists are comparable to those of prazosin. The most consistent finding is a reduction in total peripheral resistance associated with either no change or with only small increases in cardiac index. These agents have been shown either not to change or to increase renal blood flow.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Pharmacokinetics of indoramin and its 6-hydroxylated metabolite after repeated oral dosing

The pharmacokinetics of indoramin and its active 6-hydroxylated metabolite have been studied in healthy male volunteers after repeated oral dosing with 37.5 mg twice daily for 2 weeks. Plasma concentrations of indoramin accumulated, on average, three to four-fold above those anticipated on the basis of the kinetics after the first dose, though steady state was achieved by the end of the first week and no further increase was observed after 2 weeks. The degree of accumulation was consistent between subjects, with a highly significant (p less than 0.001) correlation between the concentration 2 h after a single dose and the average steady-state concentration. Possible explanations for the accumulation of indoramin are discussed. Plasma concentrations of 6-hydroxyindoramin, in contrast, did not accumulate on multiple dosing. At steady state, concentrations of the metabolite, as represented by the AUC0-8h, were approximately 30-40 per cent of those of the unchanged drug. Since the two compounds are approximately equipotent the metabolite may accounts for 25 per cent of the hypotensive activity of indoramin during a typical clinical regime of 37.5 mg twice daily.

Pharmacokinetics and systemic availability of the antihypertensive agent indoramin and its metabolite 6-hydroxyindoramin in healthy subjects

We have studied the pharmacokinetics and absolute systemic availability of indoramin (50 mg) given orally in solution or as a tablet with reference to intravenously administered drug (0.15 mg/kg) in 9 healthy volunteers. After intravenous administration the median apparent volume of distribution was 6.3 l X kg-1, plasma clearance was 20.0 ml X min-1 X kg-1, and terminal half-time was 4.1 h. When given by tablet indoramin was absorbed with moderate rapidity, with a median tmax of 1.5 h. The median systemic availability was 24%. After oral administration in solution the drug was more rapidly absorbed, with a median tmax of 1.0 h (p less than 0.01). The median systemic availability was 43% (15-85%). Plasma concentrations of an active metabolite, 6-hydroxyindoramin, after single oral doses in either dosage form, were of a similar order to those of unchanged drug and fell with similar rapidity. After intravenous administration, however, concentrations of the metabolite were negligible.

The pharmacokinetics of indoramin and 6-hydroxyindoramin in poor and extensive hydroxylators of debrisoquine

Five poor metabolisers (PM) and seven extensive metabolisers (EM), of debrisoquine, all healthy volunteers, received 50 mg indoramin orally following an overnight fast. Plasma concentrations of indoramin and 6-hydroxyindoramin were determined by HPLC with fluorimetric detection. In PM subjects, mean values of Cmax (158 ng/ml) and AUC(0-24) (2556 ng X h X m-1) for indoramin were substantially elevated and t 1/2 beta (18.5 h) prolonged by comparison with values in the EM subjects (21.6 ng/ml, 151 ng X h X ml-1 and 5.2 h respectively). For 6-hydroxyindoramin, on the other hand, Cmax (12.4 ng/ml) and AUC (0-8) (47.5 ng X h X ml-1) in PM subjects were significantly lower than in the EM subjects (28.2 ng/ml and 94.7 ng X h X ml-1). There was a tendency to a higher incidence of side-effects in the PM group. Although the difference did not achieve statistical significance (0.1 greater than p greater than 0.05), all the PM subjects experienced sedation compared to only two in the EM group. Differences in blood pressure and pulse rate between the two groups were small. It is concluded that the oxidative metabolism of indoramin is subject to genetic polymorphism, which is probably under the control of the same gene locus as that influencing debrisoquine oxidation. The clinical consequences are discussed.

Indoramin. A review of its pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties, and therapeutic efficacy in hypertension and related vascular, cardiovascular and airway diseases

Indoramin is a postsynaptic selective alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist used in the treatment of hypertension. In contrast to some other alpha-blockers, animal studies suggest that its blood pressure lowering effect results from relaxation of peripheral arterioles as a consequence of blockade of postsynaptic alpha 1-adrenoceptors. Furthermore, unlike some other alpha-blockers, this lowering of blood pressure is rarely associated with reflex tachycardia or postural hypotension. Therapeutic trials have shown indoramin to be effective in lowering blood pressure in all grades of hypertension: mild and moderate hypertension when used alone, but generally in combination with a thiazide diuretic, and in moderate to moderately severe hypertension when used in combination with a beta-blocker and diuretic. In a few small comparative studies, no significant difference was found in the blood pressure lowering effects between indoramin and methyldopa, propranolol and prazosin. Side effects were similar for indoramin, propranolol and methyldopa; however in the 1 comparative study with prazosin, prazosin produced a lower incidence of sedation. Indeed, the most common side effect with indoramin therapy has been sedation of a mild to moderate and/or transient nature, reported in about 19% of cases. Other side effects which have sometimes led to a withdrawal of indoramin treatment have been dry mouth, dizziness, and in males, failure of ejaculation; however, side effects may be reduced by starting therapy with smaller doses and titrating more gradually.