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Identification of the cytochrome P450 enzymes involved in the N‐demethylation of sildenafil

Ruth Hyland, E. G. H. Roe, Barry Jones, Dennis A. Smith

British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 2001

155 citations

Abstract

AIMS: To characterize the cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes responsible for the N-demethylation of sildenafil to its main metabolite, UK-103 320, to investigate the potential inhibitory effects of sildenafil on CYP enzymes and to evaluate the potential of selected drugs to affect sildenafil metabolism. METHODS: The metabolic pathways of sildenafil N-demethylation were studied using human liver microsomes, as well as microsomes expressing individual human CYP enzymes. Further studies to identify the individual enzymes were performed at 2.5 and 250 microM sildenafil, and employed a combination of chemical inhibition, correlation analysis, and metabolism by expressed recombinant CYP enzymes. In addition, the effect of sildenafil on the activity of the six major drug metabolizing enzymes was investigated. RESULTS: Sildenafil conversion was found to be mediated by at least two CYP enzymes, for which the mean kinetic parameters were Km1 = 6(+/-3 microM), Km2 = 81(+/-45 microM), Vmax1 = 22(+/-9 pmol) and Vmax2 = 138(+/-77 pmol) UK-103 320 formed min(-1) mg(-1). At 250 microM sildenafil, N-demethylation was primarily mediated through the low-affinity, high-Km enzyme (approximately 83%), whilst at 2.5 microM there was a greater role for the high-affinity, low-Km enzyme (approximately 61%). Ketoconazole strongly inhibited metabolism at both sildenafil concentrations and was the only significant inhibitor at 250 microM sildenafil. At the lower sildenafil concentration, sulphaphenazole and…

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