Analysis of metabolite kinetics by deconvolution and in vivo-in vitro correlations of metabolite formation rates: studies of fibrinogen receptor antagonist ester prodrugs

Evidence for the Involvement of a Pulmonary First-Pass Effect via Carboxylesterase in the Disposition of a Propranolol Ester Derivative after Intravenous Administration

The disposition kinetics of O-butyryl propranolol (butyryl-PL), a model compound containing an ester moiety, after intravenous administration was compared with that of PL in rats and beagle dogs. Rats showed only 30% conversion of butyryl-PL to PL up to 2 h after dosing, whereas dogs showed nearly complete conversion within 10 min after administration. The CL(total) of butyryl-PL in rats was 5.8 l/h/kg and that in dogs was 65.6 +/- 18.6 l/h/kg, both of which were greater than hepatic blood flow. The in vivo conversion from butyryl-PL to PL in the rat could be explained on the basis of the hydrolysis characteristics in the liver and blood. The in vitro hydrolysis data and the in vivo data after intra-arterial administration clearly demonstrated that the extremely high CL(total) of butyryl-PL in dogs was dependent on first-pass hydrolysis in the lung in addition to hydrolysis at a blood flow-limited rate in the liver and kidney. The availability of butyryl-PL after passage through the lung was 50%. Furthermore, the isoform of carboxylesterase involved in the pulmonary hydrolysis of butyryl-PL in the dog was identified as D1, a CES-1 group enzyme. However, butyryl-PL was not recognized as a substrate by CES-1 family carboxylesterases, which are present at high levels in the rat lung (RH-1) and kidney (RL-1). These findings indicate that extrahepatic metabolism, especially in the lung, is important in the disposition of drugs containing an ester moiety after intravenous administration and that the substrate specificity of carboxylesterase isozyme distinguishes from others.

An extended point-area deconvolution approach for assessing drug input rates

PURPOSE

To describe an extended point-area deconvolution approach for evaluating drug input rates based on the application of piecewise cubic polynomial functions.

METHODS

Both the nonimpulse response data and the impulse reference data were independently represented by the piecewise cubic polynomials to obtain interpolations, numerical integration, and reduced step size for the staircase input rates. A moving average algorithm was employed to compute the input rate estimates. The method was illustrated using data from preclinical and human studies. Simulations were used to examine the effects of data noise.

RESULTS

In all cases examined, the piecewise cubic interpolation functions combined with the moving average algorithm yielded estimates that were reasonable and acceptable. Compared to the standard point-area approach based on the trapezoidal rule, the present method resulted in estimates that were closer to the expected values.

CONCLUSIONS

The point-area deconvolution analysis is one of the preferred approaches in assessing pharmacokinetic and biopharmaceutic data when it is undesirable to assume the functional forms of the input processes. The present method provides improved performance and greater flexibility of this approach.

A new in vitro/in vivo kinetic correlation method for nitrofurantoin matrix tablet formulations

The kinetic distributions of in vitro percentage release and in vivo percentage urinary excretion rates of nitrofurantoin from matrix tablets were plotted using a kinetic program. In vitro release rates were determined using the USP paddle and half-change methods. Urinary excretion curves of the drug were characterized by means of the statistical moments. The individual linear correlations between each in vitro and in vivo kinetic distribution were established, and regression equations were calculated. The application results of the best correlations obtained were evaluated according to in vivo results. A reversed kinetic procedure was applied for transformation of the correlated kinetic values to the drug percentage release rates. The modified Langenbucher kinetic showed excellent linear correlation (r = .9985). The method that is proposed in this study, the kinetic correlation program, is simple, independent of time, and suggests that it is possible to use kinetic distributions in the in vitro/in vivo correlation. This study also suggests using kinetic correlation to investigate the suitability of the in vitro dissolution methods with the in vivo drug dissolution.