Pharmacokinetics,toxicokinetics, distribution,metabolism and excretion of linezolid in mouse,rat and dog

1. Linezolid (ZYVOX), the first of a new class of antibiotics, the oxazolidinones, is approved for treatment of Gram-positive bacterial infections. 2. The aim was to determine the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) of linezolid in mouse, rat and dog in support of preclinical safety studies and clinical development. 3. Conventional replicate study designs were employed in animal experiments, and biofluids were assayed by HPLC or HPLC-MS. 4. Linezolid was rapidly absorbed after p.o. dosing with an p.o. bioavailability of > 95% in rat and dog, and > 70% in mouse. Twenty-eight-day i.v./p.o. toxicokinetic studies in rat (20-200mg kg(-1) day(-1)) and dog (10-80 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) revealed neither a meaningful increase in clearance nor accumulation upon multiple dosing. 5. Linezolid had limited protein binding (<35%) and was very well distributed to most extravascular sites, with a volume of distribution at steady-state (V(ss)) approximately equal to total body water. 6. Linezolid circulated mainly as parent drug and was excreted mainly as parent drug and two inactive carboxylic acids, PNU-142586 and PNU-142300. Minor secondary metabolites were also characterized. In all species, the clearance rate was determined by metabolism. 7. Radioactivity recovery was essentially complete within 24-48 h. Renal excretion of parent drug and metabolites was a major elimination route. Parent drug underwent renal tubular reabsorption, significantly slowing parent drug excretion and allowing a slow metabolic process to become rate-limiting in overall clearance. 8. It is concluded that ADME data were relatively consistent across species and supported the rat and dog as the principal non-clinical safety species.     

Preclinical pharmacokinetics and metabolism of a potent non-nucleoside inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus NS5B polymerase

The disposition of compound A, a potent inhibitor of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5B polymerase, was characterized in animals in support of its selection for further development. Compound A exhibited marked species differences in pharmacokinetics. Plasma clearance was 44?ml?min^?1?kg^?1 in rats, 9?ml?min^?1?kg^?1 in dogs and 16?ml?min^?1?kg^?1 in rhesus monkeys. Oral bioavailability was low in rats (10%) but significantly higher in dogs (52%) and monkeys (26%). Compound A was eliminated primarily by metabolism in rats, with biliary excretion accounting for 30% of its clearance. Metabolism was mainly mediated by cyclohexyl hydroxylation, with N-deethylation and acyl glucuronide formation constituting minor metabolic pathways. Qualitatively, the same metabolites were identified using in vitro systems from all species studied, including humans. The low oral bioavailability of compound A in rats was mostly due to poor intestinal absorption. This conclusion was borne out by the findings that hepatic extraction in the rat was only 30%, intraperitoneal bioavailability was good, and compound A was poorly absorbed from the rat isolated intestinal loop, with no detectable intestinal metabolism. Compound A was not an inhibitor of major human cytochrome P450 enzymes, indicating minimal potential for clinical drug–drug interactions. The metabolic clearance of compound A in rat, dog and monkey hepatocytes correlated with the systemic clearance observed in these species. Since compound A was very stable in human hepatocytes, the results suggest that it will be a low clearance drug in humans.     

Pharmacokinetics of the M1-agonist talsaclidine in mouse,rat, rabbit and monkey,and extrapolation to man

1. Talsaclidine is an M1-agonist under development for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The aim of the study was to investigate the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) of single intravenous and oral doses of [¹⁴C]-talsaclidine in mouse, rat, rabbit and monkey. Previous data in humans showed that the drug was mainly excreted into the urine as the unchanged parent drug. The hypothesis was tested if animal data of drugs, which are mainly excreted renally, could be extrapolated to human. 2. The apparent volume of distribution at steady-state (V_ss) was comparable in all animal species (2-5 l.kg^-1     

Pharmacokinetics of gefitinib,an epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor,in rat and dog

1.?The pharmacokinetics of gefitinib and its metabolites in rat and dog were investigated in preclinical studies conducted to support the safety evaluation and clinical development of gefitinib, the first EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer.

2.?Following intravenous dosing (5?mg?kg^?1), gefitinib plasma half-life was 3–6?h in rats and dogs, although studies using a more sensitive HPLC-MS assay produced longer estimates of half-life (7–14?h).

3.?In these studies, plasma clearance was high (male rat: 25?ml?min^?1?kg^?1; female rat: 16?ml?min^?1?kg^?1; male dog: 16?ml?min^?1?kg^?1), as was the volume of distribution (8.0–10.4?l?kg^?1 in rat; 6.3?l?kg^?1 in dog), and exposure in female rats was double that in males.

4.?Following administration of [¹⁴C]-gefitinib, concentrations of radioactivity in plasma exceeded gefitinib throughout the profile, indicating the presence of circulating metabolites in both rat and dog.

5.?An HPLC-MS assay was developed to measure concentrations of gefitinib and five potential metabolites in plasma. All five metabolites were detected in the rat, but at levels much lower than gefitinib. In the dog, exposure to gefitinib and M523595 was similar, with much lower concentrations of M537194 and only trace levels of the other metabolites. This profile of metabolites is similar to that observed in man.     

PHARMACOKINETICS AND TOXICOKINETICS OF AN ORALLY ACTIVE TRIPEPTIDE,IRI-695, IN ANIMALS

Pharmacokinetics and toxicokinetics of IRI-695, a tripeptide, were investigated in the rat, rabbit, dog, and monkey. Tissue distribution and excretion of [¹⁴C]IRI-695 were determined in the rat. Following a single intravenous (IV) injection, the elimination half-life (t_1/2) of IRI-695 in the rabbit, dog, and monkey was similar (about 65 min) and approximately four times that in the rat (15 min). This difference in t_1/2 can be attributed to about four times higher clearance of the drug in rats (11·2 mL min⁻¹ kg ⁻¹). The volume of distribution (V_ss) in these four species, 132–234 mL kg⁻¹, suggested negligible preferential distribution of IRI-695 to body tissue. After a 5 mg kg⁻¹ oral dose, the absolute bioavailability of IRI-695 was 2·0% in rats and 3·1% in dogs. However, systemic drug exposure in the dog was about five to 10 times that in the rat, which is related to the slower clearance of the peptide in the dog. Toxicokinetic studies in the rat and dog indicated linear kinetics and systemic exposure of IRI-695 up to 300 mg kg⁻¹ d⁻¹ oral doses throughout the 28 d toxicity study. Accumulation of the drug after the repeated oral dosing was negligible. After a single 0·10 mg kg⁻¹ ]¹⁴C[IRI-695 IV injection in rats, almost all of the radioactivity administered was excreted in urine within 24 h postdose.     

2,3,6,2′,3′,6′-Hexachlorobiphenyl: Distribution,metabolism, and excretion in the dog and the monkey

The tissue distribution, metabolism, and excretion of 2,3,6,2′,3′,6′-hexachlorobiphenyl (236-HCB) were investigated in beagle dogs and cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). Following a single iv dose of [¹⁴C]236-HCB (0.6 mg/kg) excreta, blood, and tissues were collected at time intervals ranging from 15 min to 15 days for determination of levels of parent compound and its metabolites. Elimination of the parent PCB in the blood of both species was biphasic with a terminal-phase elimination rate constant of 0.23 day^?1 for the dog and 0.15 day^?1 for the monkey. By 24 hr the dog excreted 52% of the dose; 41% in the feces; 11% in the urine. The percentage dose remaining was found largely in liver, muscle, fat, and skin. By 3 days 70% of the dose was excreted. During the first 24 hr the monkey excreted 19% of the dose with about equal amounts appearing in urine and feces. The percentage dose remaining in the body was localized as parent compound in fat (15%) with lesser amounts in skin, muscle, and liver. By 15 days 61% of the dose was excreted, primarily in the feces. In anesthetized dogs 26% of the dose was excreted into the bile within 2 hr, while anesthetized monkeys excreted only 2.4% of the dose by that route. The data present a clear species variation between the dog and the monkey in the rate of metabolism of 236-HCB and its subsequent excretion via the bile.     

Disposition of SK&F L-190144 in rats and monkeys after oral,intravenous or ocular administration

The objective of the study was to investigate the systemic disposition of ¹⁴C-SK&F L-190144 after single intravenous (10mg kg^?1) and oral (200 mg kg^?1) doses to rats and after single intravenous and ocular doses (0.33 mg kg^?1) to monkeys. After the intravenous dose, the blood concentration-time profile of ¹⁴C-SK&F L-190144 followed a rapid triexponential decline with half-lives of 2.5, 15, and 246 min in rats and 3, 19, and 2520 min in monkeys. The ¹⁴C-label in blood was mainly the parent compound. The terminal elimination half-life detected in rats using the urinary excretion rate-time data was 700 min. The total body clearance values were 17.6 ± 2.1 (mean ± SD, n = 6) and 1.11 ± 0.41 (n=4) mlmin^?1 kg^?1 for rats and monkeys, respectively. Both species had similar values of volume of distribution at the terminal phase, 4 to 6 l kg^?1, and similar excretion patterns, approximately 60 per cent and 30 per cent of the dose were excreted in the urine and feces, respectively. ¹⁴C-SK&F L-190144 was not absorbed orally in rats with the majority of the dose recovered in the feces. Following ocular administration to monkeys, the plasma drug concentrations peaked at 8 h post-dosing but did not reach a biexponential elimination phase until 18 h post-dosing, suggesting slow systemic absorption of drug from the ocular site. The monkeys excreted 42 per cent of the dose in urine and 50 per cent in feces after ocular administration. This increase in fecal excretion compared to the intravenous route of administration may have been due to the slow absorption by the ocular and nasal tissues altering the relative proportions of drug elimination via the renal and hepatic routes, or to a proportion of the dose passing into the gastrointestinal tract and exiting unabsorbed. Study results demonstrate similar excretion patterns and volume of distribution after intravenous administration in both species. The slow terminal elimination phase in monkeys was attributed to the low body clearance. The low oral bioavailability was possibly due to the poor partitioning behavior of the drug (logarithm of partition coefficient - 2.6). A significant fraction of the dose was absorbed in the body via the ocular route.     

2,4,5,2',4',5'-Hexachlorobiphenyl: distribution, metabolism, and excretion in the dog and the monkey

The tissue distribution, metabolism, and excretion of 2,4,5,2′,4′,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl (2,4,5-HCB) were investigated in beagle dogs and cynomolgus monkeys (Macacca fascicularis). Following a single iv dose of [¹⁴C]2,4,5-HCB (0.6 mg/kg), excreta, blood, and tissues were collected at time intervals ranging from 30 min to 15 days for dogs and 2 hr to 90 days for monkeys. The concentration of 2,4,5-HCB and its metabolites was determined in all samples. Elimination of the parent PCB from the blood of both species was biphasic with a terminal phase elimination rate constant of 0.045 day^?1 for the dog and 0.015 day^?1 for the monkey. By 15 days the dog had excreted 66% of the dose, 63% in the feces, and 3% in the urine. The percentage dose remaining was found largely as parent compound in the adipose tissue (16%), skin (6%), and muscle (2%). By 90 days, the monkey had excreted only 18% of the dose (17% in feces, 1% in urine). Again, the major storage depots for nonexcreted dose were adipose tissue 945%) and skin (5%). In anesthetized dogs, 0.8% of the dose appeared in the bile within 2 hr, while only 0.2% of the dose appeared in the bile of anesthetized monkeys in 2 hr. The monkey excreted a greater percentage of dose as parent compound into the bile than the dog. The data provide evidence that the pharmacokinetic behavior of 2,4,5-HCB in the monkey is similar to that observed in other species. However, the dog is unique from other species in that it can readily eliminate 2,4,5-HCB.     

Disposition of GDC-0879, a B-RAF kinase inhibitor in preclinical species

1. The pharmacokinetics and disposition of GDC-0879, a small molecule B-RAF kinase inhibitor, was characterized in mouse, rat, dog, and monkey.

2. In mouse and monkey, clearance (CL) of GDC-0879 was moderate (18.7–24.3 and 14.5?±?2.1?ml min^?1 kg^?1, respectively), low in dog (5.84?±?1.06?ml min^?1 kg^?1) and high in rat (86.9?±?14.2?ml min^?1 kg^?1). The volume of distribution across species ranged from 0.49 to 1.9?l kg^?1. Mean terminal half-life values ranged from 0.28?h in rats to 2.97?h in dogs. Absolute oral bioavailability ranged from 18% in dog to 65% in mouse.

3. Plasma protein binding of GDC-0879 in mouse, rat, dog, monkey, and humans ranged from 68.8% to 81.9%.

4. In dog, the major ketone metabolite (G-030748) of GDC-0879 appeared to be formation rate-limited.

5. Based on assessment in dogs, the absorption of GDC-0879 appeared to be sensitive to changes in gut pH, food and salt form (solubililty), with approximately three- to four-fold change in areas under the curve (AUCs) observed.

     

The pharmacokinetics of a new benzamide drug,clebopride, in the rat and the dog

After intravenous, intramuscular and oral administration of clebopride in the rat and the dog its apparent volume of distribution is high (1·6–3·2 1 kg^?1) and it has a longer biological half-life than metoclopramide in both species. High clearance values and concentrations of metabolites in plasma after oral administration indicate that the drug is subjected to an extensive first pass metabolism in the rat. Thus, clebopride administered orally gives relatively low concentrations in the systemic circulation in rats even though it is rapidly absorbed. The metabolic processes appear to become saturated at high doses which is reflected in dose-dependent kinetics. Linear kinetics were observed in the dog, although enterohepatic recycling could occur.     

Animal pharmacokinetics of inogatran,a low-molecular-weight thrombin inhibitor with potential use as an antithrombotic drug

Pharmacokinetics, excretion, and metabolism of inogatran, a low-molecular-weight thrombin inhibitor, were studied in the rat, dog, and cynomolgus monkey. After intravenous administration the half-life was short in all three animal species, due to a small volume of distribution and a relatively high clearance. At doses of 0.1–5 μmol kg⁻¹, the mean residence time was about 10 min in the rat, 35 min in the dog, and 20 min in the cynomolgus monkey. The oral bioavailability of inogatran was incomplete, presumably due to a low membrane permeability, and dose dependent. The bioavailability was 4.8% at 20 μmol kg⁻¹ and 32–51% at 500 μmol kg⁻¹ in rats, 14% at 10 μmol kg⁻¹ and 34–44% at 150 μmol kg⁻¹ in dogs, and 2.1% at 1 μmol kg⁻¹ in cynomolgus monkeys. The radioactivity excreted in urine and faeces was predominantly unchanged inogatran. After intravenous administration the percentage of the radioactivity recovered in faeces was about equal to or higher than the urinary recovery, which indicates biliary excretion of inogatran. After oral dosing, most of the dose was excreted in faeces, as expected from the estimates of oral bioavailability. The plasma protein binding of inogatran in rat, dog, and human plasma, was 20–28%. The blood–plasma concentration ratio was 0.39–0.56, indicating limited distribution into red blood cells. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pharmacokinetics of SDZ 64-412, a novel antiasthmatic agent,following intravenous,oral, and inhalation dosing in the rat

The pharmacokinetics of SDZ 64–412, an antiasthmatic agent, were investigated following intravenous, oral, and inhalation dosing in rats. ¹⁴C-SDZ 64–412 was administered intravenously (2.75 mg kg^?1) and orally (5.5 mg kg^?1, 110 mg kg^?1), whereas non-radiolabeled drug (5.04 mg kg^?1) was administered using nose-only inhalation chambers. Radioactivity and parent drug concentrations in blood, lung, and excreta were determined at designated times post-dose. SDZ 64–412 was rapidly and extensively (～80%) absorbed following both oral doses, although absorption appeared to be prolonged with increasing dose. The absorbed drug was shown to undergo extensive and saturable first-pass metabolism. The bioavailability of the parent drug, calculated by dose-normalized AUC and deconvolution methods, was only 10–15% from the low dose, but increased to ～40% following the high dose. Following inhalation dosing, SDZ 64–412 concentrations in blood and lungs increased rapidly, and did not decline immediately after termination of dosing. The inhalation dose yielded a bioavailability of ～40%, and AUC of the drug in lungs was approximately 25 times greater than in blood. In general, SDZ 64–412 was extensively distributed and rapidly eliminated from the systemic circulation. Biliary excretion was the predominant route of radioactivity excretion. The present findings suggest that inhalation administration provides a viable means of delivery of SDZ 64–412.     

Absorption,metabolism and excretion of 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) in rat and dog

1. The oral no overall adverse effect level (NOAEL) for chronic toxicity of 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) in rat is ~1.3?mg kg^-1 and in dog is 0.2 mgkg^-1. In an attempt to explain the difference in toxicology between these species, rats and dogs were orally dosed with (¹⁴C)-MCPA at 5 or 100?mg kg^-1 and plasma toxicokinetics, rates and routes of excretion and biotransformation were investigated. 2. Elimination of radioactivity in rat plasma was biphasic and in dog was monophasic. Rat eliminated radioactivity from plasma significantly faster than dog (approximate values based on total radioactivity: 5 mgkg^-1 rat: t_½dist 3.5 h, t_½elim 17.2-36.2 h, AUC_(0-∞) 230 µg equiv h g^-1; 5 mgkg^-1 dog: t_½47 h, AUC_(0-∞) 2500 µg equiv h g^-1; 100mg kg^-1 rat: t_½dist 10 h, t_½elim 10.27-25.4 h, AUC_(0-∞) 5400 µg equiv h g^-1; 100?mg kg^-1 dog: t_½41 h, AUC_(0-∞) 20 500µg equiv h g^-1). 3. For both species, the principal route of excretion was in urine but renal elimination was notably more rapid and more extensive in rat. 4. In both rat and dog, excretion of radioactivity was mainly as MCPA and its hydroxylated metabolite hydroxymethylphenoxyacetic acid (HMCPA). In rat, both were mainly excreted as the free acids although a small proportion was conjugated. In dog, the proportion of HMCPA was increased and the majority of both species was excreted as glycine or taurine conjugates. 5. These data, along with previously published accounts, indicate that renal elimination of MCPA in dog is substantially slower than in rat resulting in disproportionate elevation of AUC (based on total radioactivity) in dog compared with rat.     

Metabolism,pharmacokinetics and excretion of the GABAA receptor partial agonist [14C]CP-409,092 in rats

1. The metabolism and excretion of a GABA_A partial agonist developed for the treatment of anxiety, CP-409,092; 4-oxo-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-indole-3-carboxylic acid (4-methylaminomethyl-phenyl)-amide, were studied in rats following intravenous and oral administration of a single doses of [¹⁴C]CP-409,092.

2. The pharmacokinetics of CP-409,092 following single intravenous and oral doses of 4 and 15?mg kg^?1, respectively, were characterized by high clearance of 169?±?18?ml min^?1 kg^?1, a volume of distribution of 8.99?±?1.46 l kg^?1, and an oral bioavailability of 2.9% ± 3%.

3. Following oral administration of 100?mg kg^?1 [¹⁴C]CP-409,092, the total recovery was 89.1% ± 3.2% for male rats and 89.3% ± 0.58% for female rats. Approximately 87% of the radioactivity recovered in urine and faeces were excreted in the first 48?h. A substantial portion of the radioactivity was measured in the faeces as unchanged drug, suggesting poor absorption and/or biliary excretion. There were no significant gender-related quantitative/qualitative differences in the excretion of metabolites in urine or faeces.

4. The major metabolic pathways of CP-409,092 were hydroxylation(s) at the oxo-tetrahydro-indole moiety and oxidative deamination to form an aldehyde intermediate and subsequent oxidation to form the benzoic acid. The minor metabolic pathways included N-demethylation and subsequent N-acetylation and oxidation.

5. The present work demonstrates that oxidative deamination at the benzylic amine of CP-409,092 and subsequent oxidation to form the acid metabolite seem to play an important role in the metabolism of the drug, and they contribute to its oral clearance and low exposure.

     

Preclinical safety evaluation of low molecular weight heparin–deoxycholate conjugates as an oral anticoagulant

The preclinical safety of a newly developed oral anticoagulant, the low molecular weight heparin–deoxycholate conjugate (OH09208), was evaluated by a comprehensive evaluating program in compliance with standard guidelines. The single dose oral toxicity study in rats receiving 2000 and 5000 mg kg^?1 of OH09208 did not reveal any mortality, unusual body weight changes or necropsy findings. The results of the 4‐week oral toxicity study with a 4‐week recovery program in rats receiving OH09208 in doses of 100, 300 and 1000 mg kg^?1 day^?1 did not reveal any mortality, or indicate any unusual clinical signs, or show any toxicokinetic relationships to the administration of OH09208. Although the increase in liver enzymes in one male dog treated with 300 mg kg^?1 day^?1 and one female dog treated with 1000 mg kg^?1 day^?1 could not be excluded from the effect of the test substance, no other toxicologically significant changes were observed in the 4‐week oral toxicity study with a 4‐week recovery in beagle dogs. Thus, while the no‐observed‐adverse‐effect level value from the 4‐week study in both male and female rats was 1000 mg kg^?1 day^?1, those from the 4‐week study in male and female beagle dogs were 300 and 1000 mg kg^?1 day^?1, respectively. Furthermore, OH09208 did not induce anaphylactic reactions in guinea pigs, micronucleated bone marrow cells in male ICR mice, chromosomal aberration in Chinese hamster lung cell lines, bacterial reverse mutation, and any abnormalities in hERG current assay, mouse central nervous system and dog cardiovascular studies. Overall, there were no unexpected toxicities in this preclinical study that might have precluded the safe administration of OH09208 to humans. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Metabolism of (14C)-quazodine in the rat, dog, and man.

The pharmacokinetics of [¹⁴C]-quazodine, a new bronchodilator, were examined in man and dog. Absorption, metabolism, and excretion of quazodine were studied in the rat, dog, and man, while distribution of the drug was measured in rats. After iv dosage, clearance of unchanged drug from plasma was rapid in both dogs and man and followed a biexponential decay curve in accordance with the equation C_p = Ae^?αt + Be^?βt. A good fit between the actual data and the computer-generated curves was obtained employing a nonlinear regression analysis computer program. After po administration quazodine was rapidly absorbed in both man and dog, a peak plasma concentration being observed at 0.5 hr in man and at 1 hr in dogs. The drug did not localize in cerebrospinal fluid of dogs. Radioactivity was found in all tissues of rats at 1 hr after oral dosage, and no evidence for extreme drug localization or prolonged retention was found in any tissue including brain. In rats, 71.9% of the dose was recovered in urine and 14.2% in feces during the first 3 days after dosing. The 72-hr recoveries in dog urine and feces were 61.4 and 25.8%, whereas in humans these values were 84.1 and 1.1%, respectively. The major pathway for metabolism of quazodine in man, and to a lesser extent in the dog and rat, was by demethylation at the 7-position of the quinazoline ring-system followed by conjugation with glucuronic acid or sulfate. The glucuronide conjugate accounted for 78.0% of the radioactivity in human urine, 45.1% in dog, and 27.4% in rat urine. The amount of radioactivity present as the sulfate conjugate was 3.1, 15.3, and 10.5% in human, dog, and rat urine, respectively.     

Pharmacokinetics of muraglitazar (BMS-298585), a dual peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) α and γ activator,in mice,rats, dogs,and monkeys

The pharmacokinetic parameters of muraglitazar, a novel dual-activator of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR)?α?and γ, were determined in mice, rats, dogs, and monkeys after intravenous and oral administration. In the mouse, rat, and monkey the absolute oral bioavailability of muraglitazar ranged from 64 to 88%, and in the dog oral bioavailability was approximately 18%. The systemic clearance values of muraglitazar in the mouse, rat, dog, and cynomolgus monkey were 1.2, 3.0, 12.3 and 1.2?ml min^?1?kg^?1, respectively. The terminal elimination half-life was 2.4?h in dogs and 7.3?h in rats. The terminal elimination half-life could not be determined in the mouse and monkey because the sampling interval did not adequately cover the terminal elimination phase. Muraglitazar appears to be distributed outside of the vasculature, with the steady-state volume of distribution being approximately twofold that of the vascular volume in rats and dogs, and approximately twofold that of the total body water in mice. The systemic plasma clearance of muraglitazar in humans was predicted to be approximately 12–14?ml?min^?1?kg^?1 based on allometry or by scaling of in vitro clearance parameters. Overall, the pharmacokinetic parameters of muraglitazar in preclinical species were acceptable for the advancement of the compound as a clinical candidate.     

Pharmacodynamics of ZM 241385, a Potent A2a Adenosine Receptor Antagonist,after Enteric Administration in Rat,Cat and Dog

4-(2-[7-Amino-2-(2-furyl)[1,2,4]triazolo[2,3-a][1,3,5]triazin-5-ylamino]ethyl)phenol (ZM 241385) is currently the most selective for the A_2a adenosine receptor antagonist. This paper describes the in-vivo activity of ZM 241385 after administration by both oral and intraduodenal routes. In conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats, ZM 241385 (1–10 mg kg^?1) selectively attenuated the mean arterial blood pressure response produced by exogenous adenosine (1 mg kg^?1 min^?1, i.v.) by up to 45% after oral administration. Activity of ZM 241385 was maintained for at least 6 h after 3 and 10 mg kg^?1 (p.o.). In conscious normotensive cats, ZM 241385 attenuated the blood pressure responses to adenosine (0.6–10 mg kg^?1, i.v.) by 94% after 10 mg kg^?1 (p.o.) and by up to 74% after 0.3 mg kg^?1 (i.v.). Duration of action of ZM 241385 up to 12 h (36% inhibition) was observed after 3 mg kg^?1 (p.o.). In anaesthetized dogs and cats, ZM 241385, after intraduodenal administration (1–10 mg kg^?1), produced a rapid (dose ratio 100-fold 15 min after administration of 10 mg kg^?1 in the cat) and prolonged (dose ratio of 14 at 6 h after administration of 10 mg kg^?1) attenuation of the vasodilatation responses to adenosine receptor stimulation. When administered by this route ZM 241385 was six times more potent than theophylline in the cat and at least twice as potent as theophylline in the dog. In conclusion, ZM 241385 is a potent, selective A_2a adenosine receptor antagonist which is orally active, with a good duration of action by the enteric route in cat, rat and dog. It could therefore be used to evaluate the role of adenosine A_2a receptors in the action of adenosine in-vivo.     

Metabolism and clearance of proxicromil--studies in rat, hamster, rabbit, dog, squirrel monkey, cynomolgus monkey, baboon and man

Proxicromil was extensively metabolized and eliminated as metabolites in urine and faeces by the rat, hamster, rabbit, squirrel monkey, cynomolgus monkey, baboon and man after oral administration. The pathway of metabolism in these species was by hydroxylation of the alicyclic ring principally to yield monohydroxylated metabolites with trace amounts of a dihydroxylated product. Elimination of proxicromil by the dog, however, was essentially as the unchanged drug. The lack of metabolism of the drug by the dog resulted in the dog having a dependence on biliary excretion of the unchanged drug for clearance. These differences in clearance routes between species were reflected in the plasma clearance of the drug. The value for rat, a species capable of metabolism, was approximately 20 fold (4.1 ml min-1 kg-1) greater than the corresponding value for dog (0.2 ml min-1 kg-1). Inhibiting the metabolism of proxicromil in the rat with SKF-525A lowered plasma clearance of proxicromil (0.6 ml min-1 kg-1) and elevated the proportion of unchanged drug cleared by biliary excretion.     

The novel nootropic compound DM232 (UNIFIRAM) ameliorates memory impairment in mice and rats

The favorable pharmacological profile exhibited by piracetam stimulated the synthesis of related compounds potentially endowed with a higher nootropic potency. The antiamnesic and procognitive activity of DM232 (unifiram), a new compound structurally related to piracetam, was investigated. Mouse passive avoidance and rat Morris water maze and Social learning tests were employed. DM232 (0.001–1 mg kg^?1 i.p. – 0.01–0.1 1 mg kg^?1 p.o.) prevented amnesia induced by scopolamine (1.5 mg kg^?1 i.p.), mecamylamine (20 mg kg^?1 i.p.), baclofen (2 mg kg^?1 i.p.), and clonidine (0.125 mg kg^?1 i.p.). Furthermore, The antiamnesic effect of the investigated compound was comparable to that exerted by well‐known nootropic drugs such as piracetam (30–100 mg kg^?1 i.p.), aniracetam (100 mg kg^?1 p.o.), rolipram (30 mg kg^?1 p.o.), and nicotine (5 mg kg^?1 i.p). DM232 (0.1 mg kg^?1 i.p.) was also able to prevent amnesia induced by scopolamine (0.8 mg kg^?1 i.p.) in the rat Morris watermaze test. In the rat social learning test, DM232 (0.1 mg kg^?1 i.p.) injected in adults rats reduced the duration of active exploration of the familiar partner in the second session of the test. DM232, similarly to piracetam, reduced the duration of hypnosis induced by pentobarbital. At the highest effective doses, the investigated compound did not impair motor coordination (rota rod test), nor modified spontaneous (Animex). These results indicate DM232 (unifiram) as a novel cognition enhancer, strictly related to piracetam‐like compounds, able to ameliorate memory impairment at doses about 1,000 times lower than the most active available nootropic compounds. Drug Dev. Res. 56:23–32, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.