On the regulation of antipyrine and oxazepam metabolism in man

Abstract

The metabolism of antipyrine and oxazepam has been measured in twelve healthy subjects. Antipyrine, an analgesic and antipyretic drug, is extensively metabolized by oxidation at various sites and oxazepam, a benzodiazepine, is almost exclusively metabolized by conjugation with glucuronic acid. Comparing the plasma clearance rates and the plasma half lives of the two drugs, correlation coefficients of r = 0.766 (P less than 0.01) and r = 0.966 (P less than 0.01) have been obtained. The data suggests that in man the processes of oxidation and glucuronidation are linked by a common control which regulates the metabolic rates of the two reactions.