Effect of cytochrome P-450 1A induction on enantioselective metabolism and pharmacokinetics of an aryltrifluoromethyl sulfide in the rat

Metabolic and Pharmaceutical Aspects of Fluorinated Compounds

The applications of fluorine in drug design continue to expand, facilitated by an improved understanding of its effects on physicochemical properties and the development of synthetic methodologies that are providing access to new fluorinated motifs. In turn, studies of fluorinated molecules are providing deeper insights into the effects of fluorine on metabolic pathways, distribution, and disposition. Despite the high strength of the C-F bond, the departure of fluoride from metabolic intermediates can be facile. This reactivity has been leveraged in the design of mechanism-based enzyme inhibitors and has influenced the metabolic fate of fluorinated compounds. In this Perspective, we summarize the literature associated with the metabolism of fluorinated molecules, focusing on examples where the presence of fluorine influences the metabolic profile. These studies have revealed potentially problematic outcomes with some fluorinated motifs and are enhancing our understanding of how fluorine should be deployed.

In vitro and in vivo studies on the stereoselective pharmacokinetics and biotransformation of an (S)-(-)- and (R)-(+)-pyrazolotriazine sulfoxide in the male rat

1. BOF-4272 (a pyrazolotriazine sulfoxide) is a new drug for the treatment of hyperuricemia. The pharmacokinetics and biotransformation of both BOF-4272 enantiomers were investigated in rat. 2. Plasma concentrations after intravenous or oral administration of racemic BOF-4272 to rat were significantly higher for (S)- than for (R)-BOF-4272. 3. The concentration of (S)-BOF-4272 in hepatocyte culture medium 24 h after the addition of racemic BOF-4272 was higher than that of (R)-BOF-4272. 4. Liver concentrations after oral adminstration of racemic BOF-4272 to rat were significantly higher for (R)- than for (S)-BOF-4272. Kidney concentrations were significantly higher for (S)- than for (R)-BOF-4272. 5. Hepatic biotransformation from BOF-4272 to unknown metabolites, possibly conjugates, is stereoselective. Biotransformation of both enantiomers to the sulfone metabolite by cytochrome P450 in rat liver may also be stereoselective. 6. Biotransformation of the sulfide metabolite of BOF-4272 to BOF-4272 may be stereoselective, possibly due to the stereospecificity of flavin-containing mono-oxidase and/or cyrochrome P450. 7. The stereoselectivity of plasma concentrations of racemic BOF-4272 after intravenous or oral administration appears to be due to differences in the hepatic uptake of the two enantiomers as well as the stereoselective biotransformation of the sulfide metabolite to BOF-4272 in rat liver. Biotransformation of BOF-4272 in rat liver may also be stereoselective.

Preparation and evaluation of sulfide derivatives of the antibiotic brefeldin a as potential prodrug candidates with enhanced aqueous solubilities

Several sulfide (+)-brefeldin A (BFA) analogues were prepared through the Michael addition of various thiols. Many of the sulfides were also oxidized to the corresponding sulfoxide with m-CPBA. The sulfides were designed to act as BFA prodrugs via the metabolic oxidation to the sulfoxide and subsequent syn elimination. Kinetic experiments were used to prove that the syn elimination of the sulfoxides prepared did in fact take place. Five selenide BFA prodrugs were also prepared that are envisioned to act in the same manner as the sulfides. As expected, when oxidation of the selenide to selenoxide was attempted, in situ syn elimination was observed. All of the compounds prepared were evaluated for antiproliferative activity against human cancer cell lines in the National Cancer Institute screen. The sulfoxides were much more potent than either the sulfides or selenides. Especially notable were sulfoxide 21, which possessed a cytotoxicity mean graph midpoint value (MGM) value lower than BFA itself, and sulfoxide 22, which possessed an MGM value slightly less potent than that of BFA. The sulfide analogues were shown to possess increased aqueous solubilty with respect to BFA.

Stereoselective metabolism of tazofelone, an anti-inflammatory bowel disease agent, in rats and dogs and in human liver microsomes

Incubation of (R)-tazofelone and (S)-tazofelone in rat, dog, and human liver microsomes demonstrated that the (R)-tazofelone enantiomer was more rapidly metabolized, with two diastereomeric sulfoxides as the major metabolites formed in all three species. The two diasteresomers epimerized at physiological pH, therefore total sulfoxide formation rates were measured. The formation of the total sulfoxide metabolites followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The K(m), Vmax, and intrinsic formation clearance (Vmax/K(m)) values were determined in rat, dog, and human liver microsomes. The intrinsic formation clearance of sulfoxide from (R)-tazofelone exceeded that of (S)-tazofelone in all three species. In vivo studies in rats and dogs dosed orally and intravenously confirmed the stereoselective metabolism of tazofelone observed in vitro. Plasma concentrations of (S)-tazofelone exceeded (R)-tazofelone in rats and dogs by a factor of 3 to 4. In rat portal plasma, both enantiomers were of approximately equal concentration after oral dosing, indicating similar absorption. The half-lives of tazofelone and total sulfoxides in rats were 3.5 and 2.8 h, respectively. In dogs, the half-lives of tazofelone and total sulfoxides were 2.2 and 5.5 h, respectively. Plasma clearance was 2.3 l/h in rats and 1.4 l/h in dogs, and the volumes of distribution were 12 and 4.5 l, respectively, in rats and dogs. Both enantiomers were highly bound to plasma proteins to a similar extent in both species.

Biotransformation of BOF-4272, a sulfoxide-containing drug, in the cynomolgus monkey

BOF-4272, (+/-)-8-(3-methoxy-4-phenylsulfinylphenyl) pyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazine-4(1H)-one), is a new drug intended for the treatment of hyperuricemia. This report describes the pharmacokinetics and detailed metabolic pathways of BOF-4272 in the cynomolgus monkey, which were investigated using the metabolites found in plasma, urine, and faeces after intravenous and oral administration. M-4 was the main metabolite in plasma after intravenous administration. M-3 and M-4 were the main metabolites in plasma after oral administration. The Cmax and AUC(0-t) of M-4 were the highest of all the metabolites after intravenous administration. The Cmax and AUC(0-t) of M-3 were the highest of all the metabolites, and those of M-4 were the second highest, after oral administration. M-4 and M-3 were the main metabolites detected in urine and faeces, respectively, after intravenous administration, with M-4 and M-3 at 47.2% in urine and 19.1% in faeces, respectively, within 120 h after administration. M-4 was the only metabolite detected in urine after oral administration, at about 5% within 120 h after administration. M-3 was detected in faeces at 17.0% within 120 h after oral administration. These results suggest that, in the cynomolgus monkey, BOF-4272 is rapidly biotransformed to a main metabolite (M-4, a sulphoxide-containing metabolite of BOF-4272) and that M-4 is mainly excreted in urine and possibly also in bile, with subsequent conversion to M-3 by the intestinal flora. It is expected that the biotransformation of BOF-4272 would be similar in healthy human volunteers.

Design and synthesis of brefeldin A sulfide derivatives as prodrug candidates with enhanced aqueous solubilities

The addition of a variety of thiols to the alpha,beta-unsaturated lactone functionality present in brefeldin A has been carried out, and the resulting sulfides have been oxidized to the corresponding sulfoxides. These sulfoxides have the potential to undergo syn elimination to regenerate brefeldin A. The sulfoxides were more active than the sulfides as cytotoxic agents in a variety of human cancer cell cultures with the activities of the sulfoxides approaching that of brefeldin A itself. The cytotoxicities of the sulfoxides may be due to their conversion back to brefeldin A. The kinetics of sulfoxide elimination to form brefeldin A were studied in four cases, and the results indicate that substantial amounts of brefeldin A are likely to be generated during the cytotoxicity assays of the sulfoxide derivatives. Since the oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides is a common metabolic reaction, the sulfides derived from brefeldin A can be considered as potential brefeldin A prodrugs. Several of the sulfide derivatives were determined to have enhanced aqueous solubilities relative to brefeldin A itself. A number of brefeldin A succinates, glutarates, oxidation products, and sulfone derivatives were also prepared and evaluated for cytotoxicity in cancer cell cultures. Some of the more active brefeldin A derivatives were tested in an in vivo animal model in which hollow fibers containing cancer cell cultures were implanted subcutaneously (SC) and intraperitoneally (IP), and the compounds were administered IP. Greater cytotoxic activity was observed at the SC site than at the IP site for the majority of these compounds, an observation which is consistent with the hypothesis that they are acting as brefeldin A prodrugs in vivo.