The binding of gitoxin to human plasma proteins

Metabolism and pharmacokinetics of novel selective vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 inhibitor apatinib in humans

Apatinib is a new oral antiangiogenic molecule that inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2. The present study aimed to determine the metabolism, pharmacokinetics, and excretion of apatinib in humans and to identify the enzymes responsible for its metabolism. The primary routes of apatinib biotransformation included E- and Z-cyclopentyl-3-hydroxylation, N-dealkylation, pyridyl-25-N-oxidation, 16-hydroxylation, dioxygenation, and O-glucuronidation after 3-hydroxylation. Nine major metabolites were confirmed by comparison with reference standards. The total recovery of the administered dose was 76.8% within 96 hours postdose, with 69.8 and 7.02% of the administered dose excreted in feces and urine, respectively. About 59.0% of the administered dose was excreted unchanged via feces. Unchanged apatinib was detected in negligible quantities in urine, indicating that systemically available apatinib was extensively metabolized. The major circulating metabolite was the pharmacologically inactive E-3-hydroxy-apatinib-O-glucuronide (M9-2), the steady-state exposure of which was 125% that of the apatinib. The steady-state exposures of E-3-hydroxy-apatinib (M1-1), Z-3-hydroxy-apatinib (M1-2), and apatinib-25-N-oxide (M1-6) were 56, 22, and 32% of parent drug exposure, respectively. Calculated as pharmacological activity index values, the contribution of M1-1 to the pharmacology of the drug was 5.42 to 19.3% that of the parent drug. The contribution of M1-2 and M1-6 to the pharmacology of the drug was less than 1%. Therefore, apatinib was a major contributor to the overall pharmacological activity in humans. Apatinib was metabolized primarily by CYP3A4/5 and, to a lesser extent, by CYP2D6, CYP2C9, and CYP2E1. UGT2B7 was the main enzyme responsible for M9-2 formation. Both UGT1A4 and UGT2B7 were responsible for Z-3-hydroxy-apatinib-O-glucuronide (M9-1) formation.

Heat treatment of human serum to inactivate HIV does not alter protein binding of selected drugs

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may be transmitted via certain biological fluids, particularly blood. To minimize the risk of accidental exposure, the virus may be inactivated by heat treatment of blood, plasma, or serum samples at 54-56 degrees C for 5 h. The objective of this study was to determine whether heat treatment of human serum alters the protein binding of model compounds. Diazepam, phenytoin, and digitoxin were selected for investigation because they bind to three different sites on human serum albumin (HSA); propranolol also was examined since it binds to both HSA and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein. The unbound fraction of selected drugs was measured by ultrafiltration at 37 degrees C after addition of each compound to either untreated or heat-treated serum. The percentage unbound in serum for diazepam, phenytoin, digitoxin, and propranolol was not significantly different between the untreated and heat-treated samples. Therefore, heat treatment of serum does not appear to alter the binding characteristics at these four binding sites and would not be expected to lead to erroneous unbound concentration estimates and inappropriate adjustments in drug therapy.

Hepatic clearance of gitoxin: pharmacokinetic study on rabbit isolated liver. Influence of protein binding and comparison with digoxin

Hepatic clearance of gitoxin has been studied in the rabbit and compared with that of digoxin using an isolated perfused liver technique. During 1.5 hour perfusions with a modified Krebs-Henseleit solution, gitoxin perfusate levels decreased biexponentially; the distribution and elimination half-lives were estimated to be 0.14 and 1.25 hour, Vd area to be 95.5 ml.g-1 and intrinsic metabolic clearance to be 1.98 ml.min-1.g-1. During 1.5 hour perfusions with modified Krebs-Henseleit solution containing 2.7% bovine serum albumin, gitoxin perfusate levels decreased monoexponentially. This is probably due to protein binding which moderates hepatic uptake so that distribution is not yet complete after 1.5 hour and it is therefore impossible to discriminate the two phases. This was confirmed by 5 hour perfusion experiments with an emulsion of perfluorocarbon in the modified Krebs-Henseleit solution also containing 2.7% bovine serum albumin, during which gitoxin levels decreased biexponentially. Distribution and elimination half-lives have been estimated to be 0.31 and 5.54 hours, Vd area to be 139 ml.g-1 and intrinsic metabolic clearance to be 1.36 ml.min-1.g-1. Gitoxin has been compared in these experimental conditions with digoxin, one of the most often used cardiotonic's. Distribution and elimination half-lives of digoxin were estimated to be 0.34 and 4.52 hours, Vd area to be 46.5 ml.g-1 and intrinsic metabolic clearance to be 0.17 ml.min-1.g-1. Other pharmacokinetic parameters (alpha, beta, V1, V2...) also have been calculated for these three types of perfusion experiments.