title: Debrisoquin hydroxylation polymorphism among Ghanaians and Caucasians.
abstract: The alicyclic and aromatic hydroxylation of debrisoquin was studied in Ghanaians. As in a previously studied Caucasian population, the alicyclic 4-hydroxylation of debrisoquin in Ghanaians was polymorphic. Three phenotypes were observed: homozygous extensive metabolizers (58%), heterozygous extensive metabolizers (36%), and homozygous poor metabolizers (6%). In contrast, British Caucasians are primarily monomorphic extensive metabolizers (92%) and homozygous poor metabolizers comprise 8% of the population. Urinary recovery of the drug and its hydroxylated metabolites was significantly less in the Ghanaian subjects. In both Ghanaian and British populations, aromatic hydroxylation producing 5-, 6-, 7-, and 8-hydroxydebrisoquin was shown to parallel the alicyclic 4-hydroxylation of debrisoquin, and thus to be controlled by the same gene locus. Debrisoquin is advocated as a tool for uncovering polymorphism in drug oxidation and its interethnic variations.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044383:Black People; D003647:Debrisoquin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000208:ethnology; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D006900:Hydroxylation; D007546:Isoquinolines / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D007546:Isoquinolines; D003647:Debrisoquin