Drug metabolizing capacity in vitro and in vivo--I. Correlations between hepatic microsomal monooxygenase markers in beta-naphthoflavone-induced rats

Distribution of antipyrine in the rat liver

The rate and extent of hepatic distribution of antipyrine was examined in the rat isolated perfused liver. Tritiated water and [14C]antipyrine were injected simultaneously into the portal vein as a bolus using either Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate or rat plasma as the perfusate. The effluent profiles of each compound using the two perfusates were superimposable, a finding expected for water and consistent for antipyrine, which was negligibly bound in rat plasma. Although full recovery (97%) of administered material was achieved with both compounds, the fractional output profile for antipyrine peaked at a lower value (0·10 mL−1) and at a later time (24 s) than water (0·14 mL−1, 17·5 s), due to antipyrine having a larger volume of distribution (water 0·61 mL (g liver)−1); antipyrine 0·81 mL (g liver)−1). This observation is explained by antipyrine binding to, or partitioning into cellular components. Nonetheless, like water, distribution of antipyrine into hepatic cells is perfusion rate limited as evidenced by the superimposition of the dimensionless plots of fractional output vs time normalized to mean residence time.

Pharmacokinetic Interactions Between Isoniazid and Theophylline in Rats

Pharmacokinetic interactions between isoniazid and theophylline were studied in male Wistar rats, 206±17 g. Concomitant oral administration of 2 × 5 mg kg−1 isoniazid accelerated slightly the disposition of theophylline (10 mg kg−1, i.v.) whereas 2 × 25 mg kg−1 isoniazid slowed it marginally. The differences in distribution volume, systemic clearance and area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) between the high and the low dose, however, were statistically significant. One week pretreatment with 10 mg kg−1 isoniazid tended towards inhibition (significant decrease of systemic clearance, increase of AUC) and 50 mg kg−1 to acceleration (decrease of half-life, mean residence time and AUC, increase of systemic clearance) of theophylline disposition. After oral pretreatment with 20 mg kg−1 theophylline, neither the kinetics of free isoniazid (50 mg kg−1, i.v.) and the amount acetylated nor the acetylation indices differed from the controls. There was no evidence that concomitant or subacute administration of different doses of isoniazid affects major metabolic pathways of theophylline or that prolonged theophylline treatment interacts with the N-acetylation capacity.

The effect of sepsis during parenteral nutrition on hepatic microsomal function in rats

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of sepsis during parenteral nutrition on hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) activity in rats.

DESIGN

Prospective, randomized, controlled study.

SETTING

University-based animal research laboratory.

ANIMALS

Twenty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats.

INTERVENTION

The animals were cannulated intravenously and randomized to receive parenteral nutrition (PN), intravenous live Escherichia coli 4 x 10(8) colony-forming units/100 g body weight for 2 consecutive days with PN (PNEC), or chow (CH).

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Both PN alone and PNEC resulted in a progressive decline in hepatic CYP concentration compared with CH (0.53 +/- 0.10, 0.41 +/- 0.17, and 0.35 +/- 0.14 nmol/mg microsomal protein, respectively, p < 0.05). Parenteral nutrition alone was associated with a 57% decrease in isoenzyme ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylase activity (ECOD) compared with CH, but sepsis did not further decrease ECOD activity any more than PN alone (0.103 +/- 0.049, 0.044 +/- 0.018, and 0.050 +/- 0.020 nmol/mg microsomal protein/min, respectively, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Hepatic CYP concentration declines with PN and is further decreased when compounded by sepsis. The disproportional decrease in ECOD activity relative to CYP concentration with PN is unchanged by sepsis, indicating a selective alteration in hepatic isoenzymes by PN.

In vitro to in vivo extrapolation for trichloroethylene metabolism in humans

The use of in vitro systems in the assessment of xenobiotic metabolism has distinct advantages and disadvantages. While isolated hepatocytes and microsomes prepared from human liver may be used to generate data for comparisons among species and in vitro systems, such comparisons are generally performed on the basis of microsomal protein or million (viable) hepatocytes. Recently, in vitro data have been investigated for their value as quantitative predictors of in vivo metabolic capacity. Because of the existence of large amounts of trichloroethylene (TRI) data in the human, we have examined the metabolism of TRI as a case study in the development of a method to compare metabolism across species using in vitro systems and for extrapolation of metabolic rates from in vitro to in vivo. TRI is well metabolized by human hepatocytes in culture with a K(m) of 266 +/- 202 ppm (mean +/- SD) in headspace and a Vmax of 16.1 +/- 12.9 nmol/h/10(6) viable hepatocytes. We determined that human liver contains approximately 116 x 10(6) hepatocytes and 20.8 mg microsomal protein/g, based on DNA recovery and glucose-6-phosphatase activity, respectively. Thus, the microsomal protein content of hepatocytes is 179 micrograms microsomal protein/10(6) isolated hepatocytes. The microsomal apparent Vmax value of 1589 pmol/min/mg microsomal protein extrapolates to 17.07 nmol/h/10(6) hepatocytes. The combination of protein recovery and metabolic rate predicted a Vmax of approximately 1400 nmol/h/g human liver, which, when extrapolated and incorporated into an existing physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model for TRI, slightly underpredicted TRI metabolism in the intact human. The quantitation, extrapolation, and inclusion of extrahepatic and cytochrome P450 (CYP)-independent TRI metabolism may increase the predictive value of this approach.

Metabolism of theophylline and its inhibition by fluoroquinolones in rat hepatic microsomes

1. The effects of beta-naphthoflavone, dexamethasone, phenobarbitone and isosafrole on the metabolism of theophylline by rat liver microsomes have been studied. Only beta-naphthoflavone, a known P4501A inducer, increased the rate of 1-methylxanthine formation (3-fold), whereas all the inducers studied increased the rate of 1,3-dimethyluric acid production (2.5-3-fold). 2. To study the effects of a range of fluoroquinolones on theophylline metabolism, beta-naphthoflavone-induced microsomes were used, as the ratio for metabolite production rates was similar to that of untreated microsomes (4:1,3-dimethyluric acid: 1-methylxanthine at 2 mM theophylline). High concentrations of fluoroquinolones (0.5-1.5 mM) were required to affect microsomal theophylline metabolism. 1-Methylxanthine was more sensitive to fluoroquinolone inhibition by enoxacin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin and pipemidic acid than 1,3-dimethyluric acid; CP67015, had a significant effect on 1,3-dimethyluric acid production only; binfloxacin had no effect on either pathway. 3. Ethoxycoumarin, a rapidly metabolized substrate, was also investigated as a surrogate for theophylline in in vitro experiments. Fluoroquinolone inhibition of ethoxycoumarin O-de-ethylation in beta-naphthoflavone-induced microsomes was quantitatively greater but qualitatively similar to theophylline metabolism (IC50s 440-870 microM at 2 microM 7-ethoxycoumarin). 4. These data are comparable with previous rat experiments in vivo, indicating that enoxacin, ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin have similar intrinsic activity in the inhibition of theophylline metabolism.

Relationship between enoxacin and ciprofloxacin plasma concentrations and theophylline disposition

Certain fluoroquinolone antibiotics affect theophylline (THEO) disposition by inhibition of its metabolism, yet no studies to date have investigated the relationship between fluoroquinolone plasma concentration and THEO pharmacokinetics. The effects of two fluoroquinolones, enoxacin (ENOX) and ciprofloxacin (CIPRO), have been studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 33-46) at steady state plasma concentrations of 0-33 mg.l-1, achieved by supplementing an intravenous bolus dose with a constant rate infusion. The effects of steady state ENOX and CIPRO plasma concentrations on the clearance of THEO determined after an intravenous bolus dose of 6 mg.kg-1 were described using a competitive inhibition model. The model consisted of two components, one describing a residual component of THEO clearance, which was unaffected by fluoroquinolone, the other describing the non-linear reduction of THEO clearance by fluoroquinolone. The residual clearance estimated from the model was comparable to renal clearance for THEO in the rat. The potency of each fluoroquinolone was characterised by a Ki value, the concentration reducing THEO clearance by 50% of the maximum change. These values were 4.7 microM and 16.3 microM for ENOX and CIPRO, respectively. Thus, in this study, ENOX was found to be a more potent inhibitor of THEO clearance than CIPRO. The method allowed direct in vivo comparison of potency between different fluoroquinolones, as pharmacokinetic differences, such as clearance, volume of distribution and bioavailability, were 'designed out.'

Circadian time-dependent kinetics of theophylline and its modulation by phenobarbital pretreatment in rats

The pharmacokinetics of theophylline (TPH, 10 mg/kg i.v.) were assessed in rats (natural light-dark span, June 9-10) after i.p. pretreatment with saline and 80 mg/kg phenobarbital (PB), respectively, for 3 consecutive days at either 07:00 h or at 19:00 h. Serum concentrations of TPH were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography. No significant differences of the elimination rates of TPH could be found between the times of TPH administration (clearance: 1.17 +/- 0.17 ml/kg/min at 07:00 h vs. 1.23 +/- 0.17 ml/kg/min at 19:00 hours). PB premedication markedly accelerated TPH elimination. The increase in clearance values was more expressed when TPH was injected at 07:00 h than at 19:00 h (2.48 +/- 0.67 vs. 2.06 +/- 0.41 ml/kg/min, p < 0.01).

Effect of malaria infection and endotoxin-induced fever on the metabolism of antipyrine and metronidazole in the rat

Antipyrine and metronidazole were administered as a cocktail to young (4 weeks old) male Wistar rats (N = 12 for each treatment) to investigate the effect of malaria infection due to the rodent parasite Plasmodium berghei and Escherichia coli endotoxin-induced fever on the metabolism of the two compounds in vivo. Control rats received normal saline. Antipyrine and metronidazole clearances were estimated from a single saliva sample while the formation clearances of their metabolites (in malaria-infected and control rats) were estimated from the product of clearance of parent drug and the fraction of the administered dose excreted as metabolites in urine in 24 hr. Rats treated with endotoxin produced no urine during this period. Malaria infection had no effect on clearance of antipyrine or on formation clearance of any of its metabolites. However, the clearance of metronidazole was reduced by approximately 20% compared with controls as a result of decreased formation of hydroxymetronidazole. Fever decreased clearance of both antipyrine and metronidazole by approximately 36% and 23%, respectively. These results demonstrate that both malaria infection and fever can influence P450-dependent drug metabolism and the effects seen appear to be isozyme-selective.

Drug metabolizing capacity in vitro and in vivo--II. Correlations between hepatic microsomal monooxygenase markers in phenobarbital-induced rats

Pretreatment with various doses of phenobarbital (PB) has been used to create a pool of rats with a wide range of hepatic microsomal monooxygenase activity to systematically examine relationships between and within in vivo and in vitro markers. The in vivo clearance of tolbutamide (TOL), theophylline (TH), antipyrine (AP) and its metabolites were determined in the same rats used for hepatic microsome preparation and assessment of P450 content and activities (via 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (ECOD), 7 ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase, 7-methoxycoumarin O-demethylase (MCOD) and aldrin epoxidase determinations). A graded dose-response relationship was found between PB treatment and most but not all parameters. The need for careful selection of in vivo and as well as in vitro markers is apparent from these studies. The most responsive parameters--TOL and AP clearances, MCOD and ECOD activities--were also those producing the strongest in vivo-in vitro correlations. Despite the diffuse nature of the PB induced response in P450 complement, good predictive relationships were apparent between ECOD and TOL clearance (r2 = 0.88).