title: Percutaneous absorption of the montoterperne carvone: implication of stereoselective metabolism on blood levels.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine whether an enantioselective difference in the metabolism of topically applied R-(-)- and S-(+)-carvone could be observed in man. In a previous investigation we found that R-(-)- and S-(+)-carvone are stereoselectively biotransformed by human liver microsomes to 4R,6S-(-)- and 45,6S-(+)-carveol, respectively, and 4R,6S-(-)-carveol is further glucuronidated. We therefore investigated the metabolism and pharmacokinetics of R-(-)- and S-(+)-carvone in four healthy subjects using chiral gas chromatography as the analytical method. Following separate topical applications at a dose of 300 mg, R-(-)- and S-(+)-carvone were rapidly absorbed, resulting in significantly higher Cmax levels for S-(+)-carvone (88.0 vs 23.9 ng mL(-1)) and longer distribution half-lives (t(1/2alpha)) (19.4 vs 7.8 min), resulting in 3.4-fold higher areas under the blood concentration-time curves (5420 vs 1611 ng min mL(-1)). The biotransformation products for both enantiomers in plasma were below detection limit. Analysis of control- and beta-glucuronidase pretreated urine samples, however, revealed a stereoselective metabolism of R-(-)-carvone to 4R,6S-(-)-carveol and 4R,6S-(-)-carveol glucuronide. No metabolites could be found in urine samples after S-(+)-carvone application. These data indicate that stereoselectivity in phase-I and phase-II metabolism has significant effects on R-(-)- and S-(+)-carvone pharmacokinetics. This might serve to explain the increased blood levels of S-(+)-carvone.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Austria. walter.jaeger@univie.ac.at
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jäger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Reznicek
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buchbauer
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000293:Adolescent; D000327:Adsorption; D000328:Adult; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D000081005:Cyclohexane Monoterpenes; D006801:Humans; D007536:Isomerism; D039821:Monoterpenes; D013729:Terpenes / Q000097:blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000081005:Cyclohexane Monoterpenes; D039821:Monoterpenes; D013729:Terpenes; C006923:carvone