Amiodarone is a medication used to treat irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias). It is metabolized in the liver by the cytochrome P450 enzyme system, specifically the CYP3A4 and CYP2C8 enzymes.
Amiodarone undergoes extensive metabolism, with the primary metabolite being desethylamiodarone. This metabolite is also active and contributes to the drug's therapeutic effects.
The metabolism of amiodarone can be affected by various factors, such as genetic variations in the enzymes involved in its metabolism, drug interactions with other medications that inhibit or induce these enzymes, and liver function.
Due to its complex metabolism and potential for drug interactions, close monitoring of patients taking amiodarone is necessary to ensure its effectiveness and safety.
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Google Gemini AI
3 hours ago
Metabolism of Amiodarone
Amiodarone, an antiarrhythmic drug, undergoes extensive metabolism, involving multiple pathways and cytochrome P450 isoenzymes.
Phase I Metabolism:
- Dealkylation: Amiodarone is dealkylated to desethylamiodarone (DEA) and didemethylamiodarone (DDMA) by CYP3A4 and CYP2C8. - Hydroxylation: Amiodarone is hydroxylated to N-desmethylamiodarone (N-DEA) by CYP3A4 and CYP2C8. - Oxidation: Amiodarone is oxidized to amiodarone N-oxide by flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3).
Phase II Metabolism:
- Glucuronidation: DEA and N-DEA are glucuronidated to form DEA-glucuronide and N-DEA-glucuronide, respectively, by UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs). - Sulfation: DDMA is sulfated to form DDMA-sulfate by sulfotransferases (SULTs).
Major Metabolites:
- Desethylamiodarone (DEA): The main active metabolite, accounts for 30-40% of amiodarone's pharmacological activity. - Didemethylamiodarone (DDMA): Less active than DEA, but accumulates due to slow elimination. - N-Desmethylamiodarone (N-DEA): Less active than DEA, but can accumulate due to reduced glucuronidation in patients with impaired hepatic function.
Factors Affecting Metabolism:
- Genetic variations: Polymorphisms in CYP3A4, CYP2C8, and UGTs can affect amiodarone metabolism. - Liver function: Impaired liver function can reduce amiodarone clearance and increase metabolite accumulation. - Drug interactions: Inhibitors (e.g., diltiazem, verapamil) or inducers (e.g., rifampicin, phenytoin) of CYP3A4 can alter amiodarone metabolism.
Elimination:
Amiodarone and its metabolites are primarily eliminated in feces via biliary excretion (80-90%). Renal excretion accounts for a small portion (10-20%).
Amiodarone has a very long elimination half-life (50-100 days), and its metabolites can persist in the body for months after discontinuation.