Metabolomics of methadone: clinical and forensic toxicological implications and variability of dose response

Abstract

Methadone is a full μ-opioid receptor agonist used in the treatment of heroin addiction. It is commercialized as a racemic mixture with considerable variability in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics between individuals that can affect dose-response and toxicological profile. This review aims to discuss metabolomics of methadone, namely by presenting all major and minor metabolites and pharmacokinetic drug interactions. The main mechanism for methadone metabolism is hepatic through the cytochrome P450, specifically isoenzymes 2B6, 3A4 and 2D6. Firstly, methadone is N-demethylated and cyclize to form its major 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine (EDDP) and 2-ethyl-5-methyl-3,3-diphenylpyraline (EMDP) metabolites. Several alternate minor pathways have been described namely various methadol metabolites, which proved to be active.

It is expected that knowing the metabolomics of methadone may provide further insights, attempting a personalized therapy aiming to attain effective blood concentrations. The historical record is therefore especially important when investigating clinical and forensic cases related to methadone administration, since interindividual responses are known to vary considerably.

Keywords:

• Chirality
• methadone
• metabolomics
• pharmacokinetics
• toxicity

Disclosure statement

The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Funding information

Ricardo Dinis-Oliveira acknowledges Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) for his Investigator Grant (IF/01147/2013). This work was supported by FEDER under Program PT2020 (project 007265 -UID/QUI/50006/2013).