Characterization of human cytochrome P450 enzymes involved in the metabolism of cyamemazine.

Recombinant human liver microsomal enzymes of the cytochrome P450 family (CYP1A2, CYP2A6, CYP3A4, CYP2B6, CYP2C8, CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1) were used to determine the metabolic fate of the antipsychotic anxiolytic agent cyamemazine. An LC/MS-MS tandem methodology was developed specifically for identifying the presence of cyamemazine and its metabolites in reaction media. All P450 enzymes investigated, with the exception of CYP2A6 and CYP2E1, degraded cyamemazine, albeit to a different extent, with CYP1A2, CYP2C8 and CYP2C19 being the most efficient (>80%). However, in microsomes prepared from native human hepatocytes, only relatively specific competitors (inhibitors and/or substrates) of CYP1A2, CYP2C8, CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 reduced notably the degradation cyamemazine. The main routes of cyamemazine biotransformation are N-mono-demethylation (CYP1A2, CYP3A4 and CYP2C8) and mono-oxidation (either S-oxidized or hydroxylated derivatives which could not be discriminated because characterized by the same mass value) by CYP1A2 and CYP2C9. Secondary metabolic routes yields N,N-di-demethylated and N-demethylated mono-oxidized products. Thus, under in vitro conditions, cyamemazine is extensively degraded by at least four distinct P450 enzymes, into two primary hydrophilic metabolites. These results suggest that cyamemazine detoxification process is unlikely to be significantly impaired by co-administration of therapeutic agents that are substrates of the CYP metabolic system.

Development of an in vitro screening model for the biosynthesis of acyl glucuronide metabolites and the assessment of their reactivity toward human serum albumin.

An in vitro screening model was developed to determine the reactivity of acyl glucuronide metabolites from carboxylic drugs. This assay is composed of two phases. The first is a phase of biosynthesis of acyl glucuronides by human liver microsomes (HLM). The second, during which acyl glucuronides are incubated with human serum albumin (HSA), consists of assessing the reactivity of acyl glucuronides toward HSA. Both phases are performed successively in the same experiment. This model was validated using eight carboxylic drugs that were well known for their reactivity, their extent of covalent binding, and their immunological potential. These products were representative of the scale of reactivity. Each compound was incubated with HLM at 400 microM and metabolized into acyl glucuronide to different extents, ranging from 5.6% (tolmetin) to 89.4% (diclofenac). The first-order aglycone appearance rate constant and the extent of covalent binding to proteins were assayed during the incubation of acyl glucuronides formed with HSA for 24 h. Extensive isomerization phenomenon was observed for each acyl glucuronide between the two phases. An excellent correlation was observed (r(2), 0.94) between the extent of drug covalent binding to albumin and the aglycone appearance constant weighted by the percentage of isomerization. This correlation represents an in vitro reactivity scale, which will be helpful in drug discovery support programs to predict the covalent binding potential of new chemical entities. This screening model will also allow the comparison of acyl glucuronide reactivity for related structure compounds.