[In vitro studies on omeprazole metabolism in rat liver microsomes]

The metabolism of omeprazole to its two major metabolites, hydroxyomeprazole (OH-OPZ) and omeprazole sulfone (OPZ-SFN) was studied in rat liver microsomes by a reversed phase HPLC assay. The formation of metabolites of OPZ depended on incubation time, substrate concentration, microsomal protein concentration, and was found to be optimal at pH 7.4. The Vmax and Km of OPZ hydroxylation in the rat liver microsomal preparation were 2033 nmol/(min.mg protein) and 46.8 mumol.L-1 respectively. The maximum rate of formation of OPZ-SFN (Vmax) was 187.9 nmol/(min.mg protein), with a Km value of 120.7 mumol.L-1 in rat liver microsome. Moreover, the effects of 7 drugs on OPZ metabolism were tested. The results showed that mephenytoin, benzodiazepines (DZ, NDZ, TMZ, FNZ, NZ) and papaverine caused inhibition of OPZ metabolism, among them papaverine was the only fairly strong inhibitor.