Pharmacokinetics of temocapril hydrochloride, a novel angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, in renal insufficiency

Role of transporters in the tissue-selective distribution and elimination of drugs: transporters in the liver, small intestine, brain and kidney

Cumulative studies have revealed the importance of transporters in drug disposition in the body. Recently, organic anion transporters such as organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATPs), organic anion transporters (OATs) and multidrug resistance associated proteins (MRPs) have been identified. Their broad substrate specificity as well as the multiplicity of transporter gene products make these transporters suitable detoxification systems in the body. OATPs and OATs are responsible for the hepatic and renal uptake of organic anions, respectively, while MRP2 is a major transporter involved in the biliary excretion of organic anions. OATPs and MRP2 are involved in the hepatobiliary transport of pravastatin and temocaprilat. These are good examples of hepatobiliary transport maximizing their pharmacological effects, but minimizing their side-effects. Taking into consideration tissue-selective expression and substrate specificity, transporters are useful for delivering small molecules to target tissues. MRPs are also suggested to be involved in the barrier function in the small intestine, blood-brain barrier and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barriers by extruding their ligands into the luminal side. In this manuscript, we have summarized recent studies by others and ourselves on the role of these transporters in the tissue selective distribution and elimination of drugs.

Metabolic effects of temocapril in hypertensive patients with diabetes mellitus type 2

Compared with other angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, the elimination of temocapril is less dependent on renal function. To investigate the metabolic and antihypertensive effects of temocapril in diabetic hypertensives, 30 patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 and mild to moderate hypertension [diastolic blood pressure (BP) 90-115 mm Hg] and without azotemia (plasma creatinine < 180 microM) were evaluated in a prospective randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. After a 4-week placebo run-in, they received temocapril, 20 mg daily (n = 19), or placebo (n = 11) for 6 weeks. Insulin sensitivity index (SI), determined by the Minimal Model method of Bergman, serum lipoproteins, plasma renin activity, fibrinogen, and microalbuminuria were assessed at the end of the placebo run-in phase and the double-blind treatment phases. Temocapril but not placebo administration produced a significant decrease in supine BP (152/92+/-5/3 vs. 162/98+/-5/2 mm Hg; p < 0.01) and increase in plasma renin (p < 0.05). Variation of SI during temocapril treatment did not reach statistical significance (0.95+/-0.2 before vs. 1.44+/-0.4 x 10(-4)/min/mU/L after treatment). During administration of temocapril or placebo, no significant changes in fasting plasma glucose, insulin, and serum levels of total triglycerides, cholesterol, lipoprotein cholesterol fractions, or fibrinogen were observed. Microalbuminuria decreased significantly on temocapril treatment (49+/-10 vs. 79+/-17 mg/24 h; p < 0.01) but not on placebo. These findings demonstrate that in hypertensive patients with diabetes mellitus type 2, short-term treatment with temocapril is neutral to insulin sensitivity, lipoprotein metabolism, and fibrinogen, and significantly reduces microalbuminuria.

Pharmacokinetics of temocapril, an ACE inhibitor with preferential biliary excretion, in patients with impaired liver function

Six subjects with normal liver function (Group 1) and 7 patients with liver dysfunction (Group 2; mean ICGR15 value 30.5 (5.2)%; range 16 to 56) received a single oral dose of 1 mg temocapril, a prodrug-type ACE inhibitor, with preferentially excreted by the biliary route. The plasma temocapril concentrations in Group 2 at 30 min and 1 h postdose were significantly higher than in Group 1, but the difference had disappeared 2 h postdosing. Although the half life of temocapril diacid in Group 2 was significantly longer than in Group 1, there was no significant difference between the two groups in AUC, Cmax or tmax. In Group 2, urinary recovery of temocapril was significantly increased, suggesting a possible delay in the bioactivation of temocapril into the diacid, but recovery of the diacid itself was not abnormal. ACE inhibitory action in Group 2 remained unchanged. Temocapril is regarded as an ACE inhibitor the disposition and efficacy of which are little affected in patients with impaired liver function.