Assessment of CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 activity in vivo in humans: A cocktail study with dextromethorphan and chloroguanide alone and in combination

• Published in: Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics 1999-12, Vol.66 (6), p.582-588
• Main Authors: Tennezé, Laurent, Verstuyft, Céline, Becquemont, Laurent, Poirier, Jean‐Marie, Wilkinson, Grant R., Funck‐Brentano, Christian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Adult; Antimalarials - administration & dosage; Antimalarials - blood; Antimalarials - pharmacokinetics; Antitussive Agents - administration & dosage; Antitussive Agents - blood; Antitussive Agents - pharmacokinetics; Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases; Biological and medical sciences; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C19; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2D6 - metabolism; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System - metabolism; Dextromethorphan - administration & dosage; Dextromethorphan - blood; Dextromethorphan - pharmacokinetics; General pharmacology; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Mixed Function Oxygenases - metabolism; Pharmacokinetics. Pharmacogenetics. Drug-receptor interactions; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Proguanil - administration & dosage; Proguanil - blood; Proguanil - pharmacokinetics; Reference Values
• ISSN: 0009-9236; 1532-6535
• DOI: 10.1053/cp.1999.v66.103401001

Objectives Dextromethorphan and chloroguanide (INN, proguanil) are used as prototypic phenotyping substrates of polymorphically expressed CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 in humans. We determined whether the dextromethorphan/dextrorphan and chloroguanide/cycloguanil metabolic ratios, obtained after administration of the parent drugs either alone or in combination, are equivalent. Methods Thirty‐six healthy male volunteers received single oral doses of 80 mg dextromethorphan and 200 mg chloroguanide during a three‐period, randomized crossover study. Plasma and urine were collected to calculate metabolic ratios and analyze the disposition kinetics of the probe drugs. Results All subjects were extensive metabolizers for both CYP2D6 and CYP2C19. Chloroguanide kinetics and urinary metabolic ratio were not altered after dextromethorphan administration. Dextromethorphan urinary metabolic ratio increased from −2.52 ± 0.67 to −2.03 ± 0.58 (P < .001) in the presence of chloroguanide. This was caused by an increase of dextromethorphan without a significant change of dextrorphan in both urine and plasma. Inhibition of CYP3A‐dependent biotransformation of dextromethorphan to methoxymorphinan did not appear to be responsible for this change because the log(dextromethorphan/methoxymorphinan) urinary ratio, an index of CYP3A activity, did not significantly change during chloroguanide coadministration. The chloroguanide and dextromethorphan metabolic ratio determined from urine collection correlated with the corresponding metabolic ratio determined from plasma obtained 3 hours after oral administration. Conclusion When CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 activity are assessed, dextromethorphan and chloroguanide cannot be associated in a cocktail because chloroguanide increases the dextromethorphan metabolic ratio. CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 activity can be determined from a blood sample drawn 3 hours after oral administration of dextromethorphan and chloroguanide, respectively. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (1999) 66, 582–588; doi: 10.1053/cp.1999.v66.103401001