Curiosities in drug metabolism

Abstract

1. It is inevitable that during some xenobiotic biotransformation studies, a certain metabolite or degradation product arises of which the identity is uncertain, the route of formation is ambiguous, or it is just a plain mystery.

2. The following communication draws attention to three drugs reported in the literature, chlorphentermine, phenothiazine and aminopyrine, where after many years of investigation there still exists uncertainty over some of their metabolites. Noticeably, these three examples probably involve (potential) interaction of a nitrogen centre within the drug molecule.

3. It is hoped that the resurrection and assemblage of these data will offer interesting reading and that these examples may prove sufficiently intriguing to motivate further exploration and some resolution of these lingering concerns.

• Aminopyrine
• chlorphentermine
• phenothiazine
• pyramidone
• rubazonic acid