title: Inducing effect of albendazole on rat liver drug-metabolizing enzymes and metabolite pharmacokinetics.
abstract: Albendazole (ABZ), methyl (5-(propylthio)-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)carbamate, is a broad spectrum anthelmintic drug. S-oxidation to the sulfoxide (SO-ABZ) and the sulfone (SO2-ABZ) are the first steps of its bioconversion. SO-ABZ is pharmacologically active and embryotoxic in rats. In the present study, rat liver microsomal drug-metabolizing enzymes were assayed after 10 days oral administration with 40 mumol ABZ/kg per day. The activities of 4-nitroanisole O-demethylase, benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase, 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase, and 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase increased 6-, 7-, 8-, and 30-fold, respectively. By immunoblotting an increase in cytochrome P-448 was observed. UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (GT) type 1 activities (1-naphthol, 7-hydroxycoumarin, 4-nitrophenol, and 4-methylumbelliferone) were significantly higher than in control microsomes (3- to 4-fold), while GT type 2 activities and bilirubin-GT remained unchanged. Microsomal epoxide hydrolase (benzo[a]pyrene oxide) increased 2-fold. Microsomal gamma-glutamyltransferase activity was unchanged. The in vivo SO-ABZ plasma level was decreased when the SO2-ABZ plasma level was increased. In vitro sulfoxidation and sulfonation were, however, unchanged. Although a range of imidazole derivatives, including benzimidazole itself, were commonly reported as inhibitors of monooxygenase activities, ABZ behaved as an inducer of cytochrome P-448, GT1, and epoxide hydrolase.
authors.affiliation: Centre du Médicament, U.A. 597, Faculté des Sciences Pharmaceutiques, Nancy, France.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Souhaili-el Amri
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fargetton
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Benoit
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Totis
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Batt
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D015766:Albendazole / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000818:Animals; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008862:Microsomes, Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D010105:Oxygenases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D001562:Benzimidazoles; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D010105:Oxygenases; D015766:Albendazole; C027186:albendazole sulfoxide