Influence of verapamil on the pharmacokinetics and cerebral perfusion of oxcarbazepine and the enantiomers of its metabolite 10- hydroxycarbazepine in healthy volunteers

Author(s)

Natalicia de Jesus Antunes

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Ribeirão Preto.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC)
• Defense date: 2014-11-25

Examining board members

Vera Lucia Lanchote; Lauro Wichert Ana; Eduardo Barbosa Coelho; Regina Helena Costa Queiroz; Osvaldo Massaiti Takayanagui

• Advisor: Vera Lucia Lanchote; Oscar Della Pasqua

Abstract

Oxcarbazepine (OXC) is indicated as adjunctive therapy or monotherapy for the treatment of partial or generalized tonic-clonic seizures in adults and children. OXC undergoes rapid pre-systemic reduction with formation of the active metabolite 10- hydroxycarbazepine (MHD), which has the enantiomers R-(-)- and S-(+)-MHD. OXC and MHD are substrates of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which can be inhibited by verapamil. The present study evaluates the influence of verapamil on the pharmacokinetics and cerebral perfusion of OXC and the MHD enantiomers in healthy volunteers. The healthy volunteers (n=12) received on one occasion doses of 300 mg/12h OXC and on another occasion they received doses of 300 mg/12h OXC associated with 80 mg/8h of verapamil. Blood samples were collected at steady state for 12 hours and the assessment of cerebral perfusion was performed using a single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) before the beginning of treatment and at times 4, 6 or 12 hours after OXC administration. The total and free plasma concentrations of OXC and MHD enantiomers were assessed by LC-MS/MS. The non-compartmental pharmacokinetics analysis was performed using the WinNonlin program, and population pharmacokinetics was developed using nonlinear mixed effects modelling with NONMEM.The limits of quantification obtained were 12.5 ng/mL plasma for OXC and 31.25 ng of each MHD enantiomer/mL plasma for total concentration analysis, while it was 4.0 ng OXC/mL plasma and 20.0 ng of each MHD enantiomer/mL plasma for the free concentration determination. The coefficients of variation obtained in studies of accuracy and the percentage of inaccuracy inter and intra-assay were less than 15%, ensuring the result reproducibility and repeatability. The non-compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis of OXC in monotherapy treatment, resulted in the following parameters: maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) of 1.35 ?g/mL as total concentration and 0.32 mg/mL as free concentration in 1.0 h, area under the plasma concentration vs time curve (AUC0-12) was 3.98 ?g.h/mL, half-life of 2.45 h, apparent volume of distribution (Vss/F) of 352.17 L and the apparent clearance (CLSS/F) of 75.58 L/h. The MHD kinetic disposition is enantioselective, with observation of a greater proportion of the S-(+)-MHD enantiomer compared to R-(-)-MHD (ratio AUC0-12 S-(+)/R-(-) of 4.26). The free fraction measured in the tmax of OXC was 0.26 for OXC, 0.42 for R-(-)-MHD and 0.38 for S-(+)-MHD, showing enantioselectivity in the plasma protein binding of MHD. Verapamil treatment reduced the mean residence time (MRT) (4.71 vs 3.83 h) and Cmax (0.26 vs 0.31 ?g/mL) as free concentration for OXC and increased the both MHD enantiomers values of Cmax (2.60 vs 3.27 ?g/mL for R-(-)- and 11.94 vs 11.05 ?g/mL for S-(+)-MHD) as total concentration, Cmax (3.11 vs 4,14 ?g/mL for S- (+)-MHD) as free concentration, Cavg (2.11 vs 2.42 ?g/mL for R-(-)- and 8.10 vs 9.07 ?g/mL for S-(+)-MHD) and AUC0-12 (25.36 vs 29.06 ?g.h/mL for R-(-)- and 97.19 vs 111.37 ?g.h/mL for S-(+)-MHD). The population pharmacokinetics of oxcarbazepine was best described by a two-compartment model with first-order elimination and a iv set of three transit compartments to describe the absorption profile of the parent compound. The disposition of both MHD enantiomers was characterised by onecompartment model. The CLss/F estimates in monotherapy were 84.9 L/h for OXC and 2.0 L/h for both MHD enantiomers, whereas the values of Vss/F were 587 L for OXC, 23.6 L for R-(-)-MHD and 31.7 L for S-(+)-MHD. In conclusion, verapamil coadministration increased the OXC bioavailability in 12% (population pharmacokinetics) and increased the AUC of both metabolite MHD enantiomers (non-compartmental pharmacokinetics), which is probably related to the inhibition of P-gp in the intestinal tract. Verapamil co-administration increased the predicted brain concentrations of both MHD enantiomers in a greater extent than those observed in plasma. Changes in cerebral blood flow (SPECTs performed 6h after administration of OXC) associated with co-administration of verapamil were probably caused by an increase in brain levels of both MHD enantiomers. Confirmation of this observation requires additional experimental arm with SPECTs also performed after administration of verapamil in monotherapy. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/06887-1 - Influence of verapamil on the oxcarbazepine enantiomers and 10-hydroxycarbazepine pharmacokinetics and their relationships to cerebral perfusion in healthy volunteers
• Grantee: Natalícia de Jesus Antunes
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate