Effect of hepatic CYP inhibitors on the metabolism of sildenafil and formation of its metabolite, N-desmethylsildenafil, in rats in vitro and in vivo.

OBJECTIVES: It has been reported that hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP)2C9 and CYP3A4 are responsible for the metabolism of sildenafil and formation of its metabolite, N-desmethylsildenafil, in humans. However, in-vivo studies in rats have not been reported. METHODS: Sildenafil (20 mg/kg) was administered intravenously to rats pretreated with sulfaphenazole, cimetidine, quinine hydrochloride or troleandomycin, inhibitors of CYP2C6, CYP2C11, CYP2D subfamily and CYP3A1/2, respectively. In-vitro studies using rat liver microsomes were also performed. KEY FINDINGS: The area under the plasma-concentration time curve (AUC) was increased and clearance of sildenafil decreased in rats pretreated with cimetidine or troleandomycin. The AUC ratio for N-desmethylsildenafil (0-4 h) : sildenafil (0-infinity) was significantly decreased only in rats pretreated with cimetidine. Similar results were obtained in the in-vitro study using rat liver microsomes. CONCLUSIONS: Sildenafil is metabolised via hepatic CYP2C11 and 3A1/2, and N-desmethylsildenafil is mainly formed via hepatic CYP2C11 in rats. Thus, rats could be a good model for pharmacokinetic studies of sildenafil and N-desmethylsildenafil in humans.

Dose-dependent pharmacokinetics and first-pass effects of mirodenafil, a new erectogenic, in rats.

The pharmacokinetics of mirodenafil and its two metabolites, SK3541 and SK3544, after intravenous (5, 10, 20 and 50 mg/kg) and oral (10, 20 and 50 mg/kg) administration of mirodenafil, and the first-pass effect of mirodenafil after intravenous, oral, intraportal, intragastric and intraduodenal (20 mg/kg) administration of mirodenafil were evaluated in rats. The pharmacokinetics of mirodenafil and SK3541 were dose-dependent after both intravenous and oral administration of mirodenafil due to the saturable hepatic metabolism of mirodenafil. After oral administration of mirodenafil, approximately 2.59% of the oral dose was not absorbed, the F value was approximately 29.4%, and the hepatic and gastrointestinal first-pass effects of mirodenafil were approximately 21.4% and 54.3% of the oral dose, respectively. The low F value of mirodenafil in rats was mainly due to considerable hepatic and gastrointestinal first-pass effects in rats. The equilibrium plasma-to-blood cell partition ratios of mirodenafil were independent of the initial blood mirodenafil concentrations of 1-10 microg/ml; the mean values were 1.08-1.21. The plasma binding values of mirodenafil to rat plasma was 87.8%.