Imipramine treatment alters the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of diazepam

Effects of subacutely administered saiboku-to, an oriental herbal medicine, on pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of diazepam in rodents

Subacute treatment with saiboku-to (2000 mg/kg, p.o., once a day) for 7 days induced an anxiolytic-like effect in rats. It did not, however, produce any other effects, such as sedative and hypnotic effects, anticonvulsive and muscle relaxant effects except for anxiolytic effect observed in diazepam-injected rats or mice. Diazepam (1.0 mg/kg, s.c.) induced anxiolytic-like effect was enhanced in saiboku-to treated rats as an additional effect of that induced by saiboku-to. To elucidate whether the enhancement of the anxiolytic-like effect following combined administration of diazepam and saiboku-to is due to the inhibition of hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes, the pharmacokinetics of diazepam were further investigated in saiboku-to treated rats. The pharmacokinetic studies clearly demonstrated that subacute treatment with saiboku-to did not affect plasma concentration and protein binding rate of diazepam, and the activities of hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes related to diazepam metabolism. These results, taken together, suggest that the enhancement of diazepam-induced anxiolytic-like effect observed in saiboku-to-treated rats is not due to an inhibition of diazepam metabolism.

Determination of protein binding of a highly lipophilic drug, isocarbacyclin methyl ester (TEI-9090), using a polydimethylsiloxane-coated glass beads assay

An adsorption technique with polydimethylsiloxane-coated glass beads (PDMS-GB) was developed to determine the protein binding of a highly lipophilic and hydrophobic drug. The present assay method is based on the quantitative adsorption of unbound drug to the PDMS-GB. This method of batch separation in a glass assay tube has an advantage of simplicity and rapidity. To evaluate the reliability of PDMS-GB assay, we compared the protein binding of diazepam in serum in-vitro measured by ultrafiltration and PDMS-GB assay. There was no significant difference between the extent of binding measured by each method. Using PDMS-GB assay, we determined the protein binding of the prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) analogue isocarbacyclin methyl ester (TEI-9090), whose binding cannot be measured by commonly employed techniques (equilibrium dialysis, ultrafiltration, gel filtration or ultracentrifugation) because of a high degree of adsorption to membranes, resins or tubes. The percentage of TEI-9090 bound in human serum, 4% human serum albumin (HSA, fatty acid-free) and dog serum were approximately 98, approximately 87 and approximately 95%, respectively, and these values were independent of TEI-9090 concentration up to 10 ng mL-1. The binding of isocarbacyclin (TEI-7165) to serum protein in man, dogs, rabbits and rats, determined by ultrafiltration, was also high (> 90%). While the displacement of TEI-9090 and TEI-7165 binding to HSA by aspirin, salicylic acid and indomethacin was not observed, clofibric acid and free fatty acids significantly inhibited the protein binding of both compounds.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Benzodiazepines reverse the anti-immobility effect of antidepressants in the forced swimming test in mice

The present study provides evidence that, in mice subjected to the forced swimming test, the anti-immobility effect of the tricyclic antidepressants, desipramine and imipramine (16-32 mg/kg) was antagonized by the acute co-administration of a benzodiazepine, diazepam (0.25-2 mg/kg) and lorazepam (0.125 mg/kg). This effect cannot be accounted for by variations in plasma and/or brain levels of each compound since brain and plasma concentrations of desipramine and plasma levels of diazepam and desmethyldiazepam, measured immediately after the swimming test, were not significantly modified by the co-administration. Diazepam (2 mg/kg) also counteracted the reduction of time spent immobile induced by the MAO inhibitors, toloxatone (256 mg/kg) and selegiline (4 mg/kg) and the 5-HT1A receptor agonist, 8-OH-DPAT (1 mg/kg), but not by the psychostimulant, caffeine (32 mg/kg). The sedative neuroleptic, thioridazine (4 mg/kg) was also found to reverse the anti-immobility effect of desipramine whereas the non-benzodiazepine anxiolytics, alpidem (8 mg/kg) and buspirone (0.5 mg/kg) did not. These results indicate that the observed interactions were unlikely to be accounted for by a reduction of the stressful aspect of the situation whereas the participation of some motor or sedative component could not be totally ruled out.

Sensitive one-step extraction procedure for column liquid chromatographic determination of fluvoxamine in human and rat plasma

A normal-phase column liquid chromatographic assay for fluvoxamine, a recently introduced atypical antidepressant, has been developed. Prior to analysis, aliquots of alkalinized plasma were extracted with n-hexane. These extracts were then injected into a 5-microns Resolve spherical silica column. Fluvoxamine and the internal standard, clovoxamine, were detected at a wavelength of 254 nm. Standard curves were linear over the concentration range 2-400 ng/ml. Acceptable coefficients of variation were obtained for both within-run and day-to-day studies. The estimated limit of detection is 0.5 ng/ml, and selected drugs checked for coadministration show no analytical interference. This assay was used to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of fluvoxamine in rats.

Drug interactions between imipramine and benzodiazepines in rats

The concomitant administration of diazepam and imipramine hydrochloride increased desipramine concentration in rat plasma, but decreased 2-hydroxyimipramine and 2-hydroxydesipramine concentrations; the concomitant administration of oxazepam and imipramine hydrochloride decreased imipramine, 2-hydroxyimipramine, and 2-hydroxydesipramine concentrations. Imipramine plasma protein binding was unaltered in all cases. Liver concentrations of imipramine and 2-hydroxydesipramine were increased by concomitant administration of oxazepam and imipramine hydrochloride. Concomitant administration of benzodiazepines and imipramine hydrochloride increased imipramine concentration in the brain. The effects of imipramine hydrochloride on hypothermia induced by reserpine, and on behavioral despair in rats was also studied. The concomitant administration of diazepam and imipramine hydrochloride led to a decrease in the anti-reserpine effect of imipramine hydrochloride and in the imipramine hydrochloride-induced recovery from immobility in the forced swimming test. These results are in accord with the findings on brain concentrations of imipramine and its metabolites.