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. 1993 Sep;110(1):482–490. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1993.tb13836.x

Human liver microsomal metabolism of the enantiomers of warfarin and acenocoumarol: P450 isozyme diversity determines the differences in their pharmacokinetics.

J J Hermans 1, H H Thijssen 1
PMCID: PMC2175972  PMID: 8220911

Abstract

1. To explain the large differences in (the stereoselectivity of) the clearances of the enantiomers of warfarin and acenocoumarol (4'-nitrowarfarin) their human liver microsomal metabolism has been studied and enzyme kinetic parameters determined. The effects of cimetidine, propafenone, sulphaphenazole, and omeprazole on their metabolism has been investigated. 2. The 4-hydroxycoumarins follow similar metabolic routes and are mainly hydroxylated at the 6- and 7-position (accounting for 63 to 99% of the metabolic clearances). 3. Due to the lower Km values of R- and S-acenocoumarol and higher Vmax values of S-acenocoumarol, the overall metabolic clearances of R/S acenocoumarol exceed those of R/S warfarin 6 and 66 times respectively. 4. The metabolism of both compounds is stereoselective for the S-enantiomers, which is 10 times more pronounced in the case of acenocoumarol. 5. Except for the 7-hydroxylation of the R-enantiomers (r = 0.90; P < 0.025), the 6- and 7-hydroxylation rates of R/S warfarin do not correlate with those of R/S acenocoumarol. 6. Sulphaphenazole competitively inhibits the 7- and in some samples partly (up to 50%) the 6-hydroxylation of S-warfarin as well as the 7-hydroxylation of R- and S-acenocoumarol and the 6-hydroxylation of S-acenocoumarol (Kis ranging from 0.5-1.3 microM). 7. Omeprazole partly (40-80%) inhibits the 6- and 7-hydroxylation of R-warfarin (Ki = 99 and 117 microM) and of R- (Ki = 219 and 7.2 microM) and S-acenocoumarol (Ki = 6.1 and 7.7 microM) but not S-warfarin in a competitive manner.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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Selected References

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