Active Metabolites Resulting from Decarboxylation, Reduction and Ester Hydrolysis of Parent Drugs
Decarboxylation, reduction and hydrolysis can yield active metabolites from the parent drug. Major therapeutic indications and metabolic routes of these drugs are reviewed.
Changes in the logP values (determined and calculated) from the parent drug to the active metabolite show certain characteristics in comparison to other phase I metabolic alterations. Metabolic decarboxylation of parent drug is commonly associated with increase in lipophilicity. However, in some cases, decarboxylation may cause a reduction in lipophilicity. Ester hydrolysis generally unmasks either the polar carboxylic or hydroxyl group with the outcome of an increase in hydrophilicity. On the contrary, hydrolysis of phosphate ester means a huge increase in the lipophilic character of the drug, as the highly polar phosphate group is removed.
Changes in the logP values (determined and calculated) from the parent drug to the active metabolite show certain characteristics in comparison to other phase I metabolic alterations. Metabolic decarboxylation of parent drug is commonly associated with increase in lipophilicity. However, in some cases, decarboxylation may cause a reduction in lipophilicity. Ester hydrolysis generally unmasks either the polar carboxylic or hydroxyl group with the outcome of an increase in hydrophilicity. On the contrary, hydrolysis of phosphate ester means a huge increase in the lipophilic character of the drug, as the highly polar phosphate group is removed.
Keywords: Active metabolites; Idarubicin; Parent Drugs; Prontosil; half-life; lipophilicity; metabolic decarboxylation; metabolic reduction and metabolic hydrolysis
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
Publication date: 01 July 2012
- Current Drug Metabolism aims to cover all the latest and outstanding developments in drug metabolism and disposition. The journal serves as an international forum for the publication of timely reviews in drug metabolism. Current Drug Metabolism is an essential journal for academic, clinical, government and pharmaceutical scientists who wish to be kept informed and up-to-date with the latest and most important developments. The journal covers the following areas:
In vitro systems including CYP-450; enzyme induction and inhibition; drug-drug interactions and enzyme kinetics; pharmacokinetics, toxicokinetics, species scaling and extrapolations; P-glycoprotein and transport carriers; target organ toxicity and interindividual variability; drug metabolism and disposition studies; extrahepatic metabolism; phase I and phase II metabolism; recent developments for the identification of drug metabolites and adducts. - Editorial Board
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