The racemic metoprolol H2-antagonist interaction.

The effects of concomitant administration of cimetidine and ranitidine on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of multiple-dose metoprolol were investigated in 12 normal, healthy male volunteers. The pharmacokinetics of metoprolol were assessed in terms of racemic metoprolol and the individual (R)- and (S)-enantiomers with a stereoselective assay. Ranitidine had no effect on the pharmacodynamics or pharmacokinetics of metoprolol. Although not affecting the pharmacodynamics of metoprolol, cimetidine did produce an increase in the bioavailability of metoprolol through inhibition of enzymes responsible for the first-pass elimination of the beta-blocker. The effect was stereoselective, with the major effect being on the less pharmacologically active (R)-enantiomer.

Enoxacin-warfarin interaction: pharmacokinetic and stereochemical aspects.

The interaction between the new quinoline-azaquinoline antibiotic enoxacin and the oral anticoagulant warfarin was investigated in six healthy male volunteers. Enoxacin was found not to affect the hypoprothrombinemic response produced by warfarin but did produce a decrease in the clearance of the less pharmacologically potent enantiomer of warfarin, (R)-warfarin. The decreased clearance of (R)-warfarin produced by concomitant enoxacin administration was found to be a consequence of inhibition by enoxacin of the (R)-6-hydroxywarfarin metabolic pathway.

Pharmacokinetics of imipenem and cilastatin after their simultaneous administration to the elderly.

The pharmacokinetics of imipenem and cilastatin were studied in a group of six healthy elderly male volunteers following the combined intravenous administration of 500 mg imipenem and 500 mg cilastatin sodium as either single or multiple (6 hourly for 6 days) 20 min constant-rate infusions. The pharmacokinetics of both imipenem and cilastatin in the elderly were similar to those of young individuals with mild renal failure (Verpooten et al., 1984). There was no change in the pharmacokinetics of either species with time following multiple-dosing. Correlations existed between total clearance and the glomerular filtration-rate (51Cr-EDTA) for both imipenem and cilastatin.

Comparative effects of ranitidine and cimetidine on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of warfarin in man.

Stereochemical aspects of the potential interaction between the oral anticoagulant warfarin and the H2-antagonists, cimetidine and ranitidine, were investigated. A single 25 mg oral dose of racemic warfarin was administered on Day 4 of a randomised 9-day multiple dosing regimen of either cimetidine (800 mg o.d.) ranitidine (300 mg o.d.) or placebo. The degree of anticoagulation produced by warfarin was quantificated by the determination of both the prothrombin and Factor VII clotting times. Ranitidine had no effect on the pharmacodynamics of warfarin or the pharmacokinetics of the individual warfarin enantiomers. Cimetidine whilst producing no statistically significant change in the pharmacodynamics of warfarin or in the pharmacokinetics of the pharmacologically more potent (S) enantiomer, did produce a statistically significant decrease in the clearance of the (R) enantiomer, possibly due to metabolic inhibition of this species.

Treatment of fracturing renal osteodystrophy by desferrioxamine.

Aluminium removal by desferrioxamine chelation has been demonstrated in three long-term haemodialysis patients with dialysis encephalopathy and fracturing renal osteodystrophy. Aluminium concentrations in serum and in both bone marrow and bone trabeculae, determined separately in transiliac biopsy specimens, fell significantly over the treatment period. Bone aluminium removal was confirmed by specific histochemical staining. In two patients osteomalacia disappeared, and in two patients osteitis fibrosa emerged but improved in one following vitamin D therapy. We conclude that desferrioxamine is capable of mobilising aluminium from bone and that the calcification defect in fracturing renal osteodystrophy may be overcome.