title: Pharmacokinetics of oltipraz and its major metabolite (RM) in patients with liver fibrosis or cirrhosis: relationship with suppression of circulating TGF-beta1.
abstract: Oltipraz is a potential candidate drug for the treatment of liver fibrosis (LF) and liver cirrhosis (LC). The pharmacokinetics of oltipraz and its major rearranged metabolite (7-methyl-6,8-bis(methylthio)H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine (RM)) were evaluated after single-dose (30-90 mg) and multiple-dose (60 mg b.i.d. or 90 mg q.d. for 24 weeks) oral administration of oltipraz to patients with LF or LC. Oltipraz was safe and well tolerated in both studies. In the single-dose study, the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC), peak plasma concentration (C(max)), and terminal half-life (t(1/2)) of oltipraz as well as the AUC of its RM were dose dependent. Oltipraz was rapidly absorbed; the time to reach C(max) (T(max)) was 2-4 h. The conversion of oltipraz to RM was also rapid and substantial (AUC of RM from time 0 to the last measured concentration (AUC(last, RM))/AUC(last, oltipraz), 42-61%). In the multiple-dose study, the level of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) (a blood fibrosis marker) was suppressed at steady-state plasma concentrations of approximately 20-60 ng/ml of oltipraz or of approximately 60-140 ng/ml of oltipraz plus RM. Overall, the pharmacokinetics, safety, and efficacy of oltipraz suggest that it may be helpful in the treatment of patients with LF or LC, at an optimal dosing regimen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Um
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chon
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D019540:Area Under Curve; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013871:Thiones; D013876:Thiophenes; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D011719:Pyrazines; D013871:Thiones; D013876:Thiophenes; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C026209:oltipraz; C094803:7-methyl-6,8-bis(methylthio)pyrrolo(1,2-a)pyrazine