Inhibitory effects of neuroleptics on debrisoquine oxidation in man

Liver oxidative metabolism, assessed by debrisoquine hydroxylation test, was studied in 107 healthy volunteers and in 71 patients with or without neuroleptic drug treatment. The mean metabolic ratio (MR = debrisoquine/4-hydroxydebrisoquine excretion in the urine) was 2.8 +/- 0.1 (s.e. mean) in the control group, six persons being poor metabolizers of debrisoquine (MR greater than or equal to 12.6). The mean MR (12.1 +/- 1.5) was significantly higher in those 42 patients taking neuroleptics than in patients without neuroleptics (0.8 +/- 0.1). In the former group, seventeen patients had a MR exceeding 12.6. Oral contraceptives, antiepileptics, benzodiazepines and progestin derivates did not increase MR values, the highest individual ratio being 2.72 in those subjects not receiving neuroleptics. These results suggest a probable competitive inhibition of oxidative metabolism by neuroleptics. This is a phenomenon of potential clinical importance both in patients with an inherited poor metabolic capacity and in patients receiving other drugs like beta-adrenoceptor blocking agents and tricyclic antidepressants oxidized by the same enzyme system.