Interaction between furosemide and the converting enzyme inhibitor benazepril in healthy volunteers

Simultaneous and rapid quantitation of benazepril and benazeprilat in human plasma by high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection

A sensitive and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with ultraviolet (UV) detector was developed and validated for simultaneous determination of benazepril (BZL) and its active metabolite, benazeprilat (BZT), in human plasma. The plasma sample, after spiked with riluzole as an internal standard (IS), was subjected to a solid-phase extraction (SPE) prior to a HPLC analysis. Chromatographic separations were achieved on a Hypersil BDS C(18) (300 mm x 4.6mm, 5 microm). The mobile phase consisted of phosphate buffer (pH 2.6; 10mM) and acetonitrile mixture in a gradient mode. Detection was carried out at a wavelength of 237 nm. The retention times of BZL, BZT and IS were at about 6.2, 15.4 and 16.2 min, respectively. The calibration curve was linear in the range of 20-2000 ng/mL for both BZL and BZT (r(2)>0.997). At three quality control concentrations of 100, 500, and 1500 ng/mL, the intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviation ranged from 2.8 to 8.6% for BZL and from 2.2 to 8.5% for BZT, while the mean absolute percentage error ranged from -7.5 to 6.7% for BZL and from -6.0 to 3.2% for BZT. The limit of detection (LOD) was 10 ng/mL and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 20 ng/mL for both BZL and BZT in human plasma. The method was successfully applied to bioequivalence evaluation of benazepril hydrochloride formulations in healthy Chinese.

ACE inhibitors. Drug interactions of clinical significance

ACE inhibitors are used widely in the treatment of hypertension and congestive heart failure, but there is only limited information on adverse interactions between ACE inhibitors and other cardiovascular or noncardiovascular drugs. The present article provides an overview of this issue, with emphasis on those interactions having the greatest clinical implications. In patients who have been sodium and/or volume depleted by thiazide or loop diuretics, the additional use of ACE inhibitors can lead to an excessive reduction in blood pressure and symptomatic hypotension. An increase in serum potassium levels may occur after coadministration of potassium-sparing diuretics and ACE inhibitors, resulting in hyperkalaemia especially in patients with renal insufficiency. The incidence of acute renal failure may be associated with ACE inhibitor therapy when these drugs are combined with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents and given to patients whose renal function becomes increasingly dependent on angiotensin II and prostaglandins. There is some evidence, albeit scant, linking ACE inhibitors with the induction of lithium toxicity in patients maintained on lithium, and with the occurrence of severe hypersensitivity reactions in patients undergoing haemodialysis, venom immunisation or concomitant allopurinol therapy.

The absence of a pharmacokinetic interaction between aspirin and the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor benazepril in healthy volunteers

Potential effects of the coadministration of single doses of aspirin (325 mg) and of benazepril hydrochloride (20 mg) on the pharmacokinetics and the metabolism of these two drugs were evaluated in 12 healthy subjects. Plasma concentration profiles of benazepril, its active metabolite benazeprilat, and total salicylic acid were determined together with urinary excretion of benazeprilat, salicylic acid, salicyluric acid, and salicylate glucuronides. Almost superimposable plasma profiles of benazepril, benazeprilat, and total salicylic acid were achieved with the drugs given alone and concomitantly. The coadministration of benazepril hydrochloride and aspirin did not modify the pharmacokinetics or the metabolism of the two drugs.

Effect of angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonist on urinary prostaglandin E2 excretion following furosemide in rats

The present study was undertaken to examine an effect of an angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor antagonist on urinary prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) excretion following furosemide, a loop diuretic, in rats. Furosemide (30 mg/kg) was given orally with or without pretreatment with derapril (30 mg/kg), an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, TCV-116 (1 mg/kg), an AT1 receptor antagonist, or losartan (10 mg/kg), another AT1 receptor antagonist. The 6-hour urine was collected following furosemide, and the urinary excretion of PGE2 was determined. The urinary PGE2 increased significantly following furosemide alone. However, such a furosemide-induced increase was not observed with pretreatment with derapril, TCV-116 or losartan. These results suggest that the increased urinary excretion of PGE2 following furosemide is blunted by derapril, TCV-116 and losartan. As TCV-116 and losartan are selective AT1 receptor antagonists, the effect of furosemide on renal PGE2 production, as reflected by the urinary PGE2, might be mediated by an activation of AT1 receptors.

Pharmacokinetic optimisation of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor therapy

Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are increasingly used to treat hypertension and congestive heart failure. Recently, several new ACE inhibitors with pharmacokinetic features different from earlier agents such as captopril or enalapril have come into use. This review discusses the use of pharmacokinetics to optimise ACE inhibitory therapy in various patient groups. Among the pharmacokinetic characteristics of ACE inhibitors the route of excretion and to a lesser degree the half-life appear to be the most clinically relevant. There is no evidence that being a prodrug offers a significant clinical advantage. The importance of varying tissue penetration also remains to be determined. Knowledge of ACE inhibitor pharmacokinetics is particularly important in patients with renal or hepatic dysfunction in whom the major route of excretion of these agents is impaired. This might also be the case in elderly patients or those with severe congestive heart failure. However, for most ACE inhibitors, major changes in the drug dosage (amount or interval) are necessary only when the glomerular filtration rate falls below 30 ml/min (1.80 L/h). The occurrence of adverse effects due to overdosage or drug interactions may be prevented by adapting the prescription of an ACE inhibitor to its pharmacokinetic characteristics.

Newer ACE inhibitors. A look at the future

Available information indicates that about 78 new molecules belonging to the class of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are under investigation, and that at least 11 or 12 of the newer ACE inhibitors will be available for clinical use. The newer ACE inhibitors can be classified, according to the zinc ion ligand of ACE, into 3 main chemical classes: sulfhydryl-, carboxyl- and phosphoryl-containing ACE inhibitors. All the newer sulfhydryl-containing ACE inhibitors differ from captopril since they are prodrugs, and among them alacepril and probably moveltipril (altiopril, MC 838) are converted in vivo to captopril. When compared with captopril, they show a slower onset and a longer duration of action, and obviously the same route of elimination. Zofenopril, a prodrug that is converted in vivo to the active diacid, shows a greater potency, a similar peak time and a longer duration of action than captopril and, unlike captopril, partial elimination through the liver. The newer carboxyl-containing ACE inhibitors are prodrugs which are converted in vivo to active diacids. Like enalaprilat, they are excreted via the kidney; the exception is spirapril, which is totally eliminated by the liver. Compared to enalapril, benazepril shows an earlier peak time and a slightly shorter terminal half-life, cilazapril and ramipril have an earlier peak time and even longer terminal half-life, perindopril shows similar peak time and terminal half-life, while delapril, quinapril and spirapril show an earlier peak time and a shorter half-life. The phosphoryl-containing ACE inhibitors belong to a new chemical class. Fosinopril is a prodrug which is converted to the active diacid in vivo, shows a relatively late peak time, a long terminal half-life, and is eliminated partially by the liver. SQ 29852, the only newly developed ACE inhibitor which is not a prodrug, seems to be more effective than captopril, with a much longer lasting effect and elimination through the kidney. When the differences in potency between these drugs are compensated by dosage adjustment, all the newer ACE inhibitors are expected to exert a similar amount of inhibition of circulating ACE, and therefore to inhibit to a similar extent the generation of circulating angiotensin II and the breakdown of bradykinin. Obviously they may differ in timing and the duration of circulating ACE inhibition according to their pharmacokinetic properties. With regard to the possibility that they may stimulate prostaglandin synthesis, it is suggested that this action, which does not seem to be specific to this drug class, plays only a minor role in their antihypertensive action; the hypothesis that the sulfhydryl group exerts an additional stimulating action remains to be proved.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

The influence of hepatic cirrhosis on the pharmacokinetics of benazepril hydrochloride

The influence of hepatic disease on the pharmacokinetics of the new ACE inhibitor, benazepril hydrochloride, was evaluated in 12 male patients suffering from liver cirrhosis. The patients received a single oral 20 mg dose. The plasma concentrations and urinary excretion of unchanged benazepril and its active metabolite benazeprilat were determined. Compared with a historical control group of healthy volunteers treated with the same benazepril. HC1 dose, the plasma concentrations of benazepril were doubled in the cirrhotic patients. However, the time to reach maximum concentration (0.5 h) was not affected. The plasma kinetics and the urinary excretion of the metabolite benazeprilat were not significantly altered: Area under the curve and maximum concentration as well as time to maximum concentration (1.5 h) were comparable with those in the healthy subjects. There was also no significant difference between the two populations for the total urinary excretion and the renal clearance of benazeprilat. Both benazepril and benazeprilat were highly bound to serum proteins (96 and 94 per cent, respectively). In conclusion, the rate and the amount of bioactivation of the inactive prodrug benazepril to the active benazeprilat were virtually unaffected by hepatic cirrhosis. Thus, there seems to be no need for dosage adjustment of benazepril hydrochloride in patients suffering from cirrhosis of the liver.

Clinical pharmacokinetics of the newer ACE inhibitors. A review

The orally active angiotensin-converting inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) such as captopril and enalapril represent a significant therapeutic advance in the treatment of hypertension and congestive heart failure. Enalapril differs from captopril in several respects. It is a prodrug converted by hepatic esterolysis to the active (but more poorly absorbed) diacid, enalaprilat. Enalaprilat is more potent than captopril, more slowly eliminated and does not possess a sulfhydryl (SH) group. Enalapril was rapidly followed by a number of newer ACE inhibitors, the majority of which are similar to enalapril in that they are prodrugs, converted by hepatic esterolysis to a major active but poorly absorbed diacid metabolite. In one case (delapril) there are 2 active metabolites; in another (alacepril) the prodrug is converted in vivo to captopril. Lisinopril is an exception in that it is an enalaprilat-like diacid but with acceptable oral bioavailability, so that the prodrug route is not employed. The newer ACE inhibitors are at widely different stages of development, and it is not yet clear how many will reach regular clinical use. Of these newer drugs, lisinopril is the longest established and is the subject of the widest published literature. For a number there is as yet little published pharmacokinetic information. A variety of assay methods have been employed to characterise the pharmacokinetics of the ACE inhibitors, including enzymatic techniques, radioimmunoassay and chromatography. The peak plasma concentrations of the prodrugs are generally observed at around 1 hour and those of the diacid metabolites at about 2 to 4 hours. However, there is considerable variation within and between drugs, with benazepril and benazeprilat reaching peak concentrations early and enalapril and enalaprilat typical of later times to peak. Absorption of the active diacids is generally poor, and moderate (typically 30 to 70%) for the prodrugs. The bioavailability of lisinopril is about 25%. It is difficult to talk meaningfully about half-lives of the active drugs. The declines in their plasma concentrations are polyphasic and, if analytical sensitivity allows, active drug may be found at 48 hours or more following administration. This may reflect binding to ACE in plasma. Half-lives of accumulation are of the order of 12 hours; protein binding varies from little (lisinopril) to 90% (benazeprilat). Elimination is mostly renal but there may be biliary elimination for some, such as benazeprilat and fosinopril. The half-lives of the prodrugs are short. Impaired renal function decreases the elimination rate of the diacids.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Effect of furosemide on angiotensin II-mediated prostaglandin I2 production in hypertensive subjects

The role of angiotensin II (AII) in Prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) production following furosemide has been examined in a placebo-controlled, cross-over study. Furosemide 20 mg was injected intravenously in eight hypertensive subjects already treated with oral captopril 25 mg or a matching placebo. Urinary excretion of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha (a metabolite of PGI2) and PGE2, PRA and AII was increased following furosemide without captopril pretreatment. The rises in urinary 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and PGE2, and plasma AII after furosemide were prevented by the captopril pretreatment. Urinary volume, sodium and furosemide were not affected by captopril. The data indicate that the effect of furosemide on PGI2 production, as reflected by the urinary excretion of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, was mediated by an action of AII.

Influence of captopril on urinary excretion of furosemide in hypertensive subjects

Influence of captopril on urinary excretion of furosemide was examined in a placebo-controlled, crossover design. Furosemide (20 mg) was injected intravenously in eight hypertensive subjects with pretreatment with captopril (25 mg) or matching placebo. Urine samples for furosemide and sodium were collected during the following intervals: -60-0, 0-60, 60-120, and 120-180 minutes after furosemide. Blood samples for plasma renin activity (PRA) and angiotensin II (AII) were obtained, and blood pressure was measured at -60, 0, 60, 120, and 180 minutes after furosemide. No significant difference was observed in urinary excretion of furosemide, volume or sodium between these trials. Although PRA increased following furosemide with captopril, as predicted plasma AII did not increase. Blood pressure significantly decreased following the combined therapy, but not furosemide alone. These data indicate that the urinary excretion of furosemide and its subsequent diuretic effects are not influenced by captopril.

Interference of different ACE-inhibitors with the diuretic action of furosemide and hydrochlorothiazide

In healthy volunteers the acute effect of furosemide (40 mg i.v.) and hydrochlorothiazide (100 mg p.o.) on diuresis, natriuresis and renal kallikrein and kinin excretion was investigated. Furosemide stimulated markedly diuresis and natriuresis as well as urinary kallikrein and kinin excretion. Pretreatment by captopril (C) reduced the diuretic and natriuretic effect of furosemide significantly probably due to a diminished (about 50%) proximal-tubular secretion of furosemide. Captopril did not alter significantly the furosemide induced changes in urinary kallikrein and kinin excretion. After captopril there was a clear dissociation between aldosterone, which was diminished by captopril continuously, and renal kallikrein and kinins, which were still stimulated by furosemide. These results suggest that renal kallikrein-kinin system is stimulated by furosemide directly and independently of aldosterone secretion. Other ACE-inhibitors like ramipril (5 mg) or enalapril (20 mg) did not influence the stimulatory effects of furosemide on diuresis or kallikrein-kinin excretion. Ramipril at a dose of 10 mg, however, enhanced the initial diuretic effect of furosemide by increased furosemide secretion and increased relative sodium excretion. Hydrochlorothiazide induced a prolonged diuresis which was not changed by either captopril or ramipril. Urinary kallikrein excretion was not stimulated by hydrochlorothiazide. Our results show an important drug interference between captopril and furosemide, which is independent of ACE-inhibition and probably only due to an interference in proximal-tubular secretion of both drugs. Between captopril and hydrochlorothiazide no such interaction could be observed.