Clinical pharmacology of adinazolam and N-desmethyladinazolam mesylate after single oral doses of each compound in healthy volunteers

The tolerance, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of adinazolam and N-desmethyladinazolam (NDMAD) were assessed after single oral doses of 10, 30, and 50 mg adinazolam mesylate, NDMAD mesylate, and placebo. Within doses, six healthy male volunteers received these treatments in a double-blind crossover design. No clinically significant changes were observed in blood pressure, pulse, respiration, or clinical laboratory test results. Untoward effects were typical of benzodiazepines. Adinazolam and NDMAD kinetics were dose independent. Greater than 95% of the adinazolam dose was metabolized to NDMAD. Adinazolam and NDMAD mesylate produced dose-related increases in uric acid clearance and decreases in plasma uric acid. Both adinazolam and NDMAD mesylate administration resulted in dose-related sedation and decrements in psychomotor performance. Within doses, decrements produced by adinazolam and NDMAD were quantitatively similar. These results suggest that both adinazolam and NDMAD possess uricosuric activity and support the hypothesis that NDMAD primarily mediates benzodiazepine-like effects of adinazolam mesylate.