Pharmacokinetics and metabolism of tomoxiprole, a new analgesic antiinflammatory agent, in the rat

The pharmacokinetics and the metabolic profile of tomoxiprole, a new analgesic antiinflammatory agent belonging to the class of 3-alkyl-2-aryl-3H-naphth (1,2-d)imidazoles, were studied in the rat. After oral administration (5 mg/kg) to male rats, tomoxiprole was rapidly absorbed, mostly by the gut, and reached maximum plasma levels of about 0.5 microgram/ml in 0.25-2 h. A metabolic first pass reduced the extent of oral bioavailability of the parent compound to about half, while absorption (total 14C data) was estimated to be complete. After intravenous injection (2.5 mg/kg), the plasma kinetics of tomoxiprole in male rats showed a bi-exponential profile, and the terminal elimination half-life was 4.2 h. The apparent volume of distribution was high, suggesting a wide distribution of the drug. Increasing the oral dose by ten times (50 mg/kg), resulted in linear kinetics with a proportional increase of the C max and AUC values and the same value of terminal elimination half-life. In females given a 5 mg/kg dose, the plasma levels of 14C, tomoxiprole and AUC values were somewhat higher than in males. The plasma levels of total 14C after iv or po treatments were higher and more sustained than those of tomoxiprole. The kinetic profile after iv administration was described by a three exponential terms equation and the terminal elimination half-life was 38.7 h. Upon iv administration, total 14C was rapidly distributed in highly vascularized tissues while in others, like the bone, fat, gonads, pancreas and skin the equilibrium with the central compartment was attained later. Target organs were the adrenals, liver, lungs, pancreas, thyroid, stomach and above all the fat tissue. Elimination from tissues was almost complete 48 h after the treatment. 14C was eliminated mainly in the feces (80% of dose) as metabolites. In the bile, five polar metabolites were detected; one of them, desmethyl tomoxiprole glucuronide, accounting alone for more than 80% of the total biliary radioactivity; was purified and its structure assigned.