Effects of clarithromycin and its metabolites on the mixed function oxidase system in hepatic microsomes of rats

Clarithromycin and its metabolites have been examined for their abilities to induce specific form(s) of cytochrome P-450 and metabolite complex formation in rats. Pretreatment of rats with clarithromycin,N-demethyl clarithromycin, clarithromycin N-oxide, and decladinosyl clarithromycin resulted in 48-75% decreases in the amount of 2C11 and 100-600% increases in the amount of 3A1. Clarithromycin and N-demethyl clarithromycin, but not decladinosyl clarithromycin, produced a metabolite complex with cytochrome P-450 in vivo. Activities of testosterone 2 beta- and 6 beta-hydroxylases were increased by administration of clarithromycin and N-demethyl clarithromycin when these activities were measured in the presence of ferricyanide, but not significant induction was observed when measured in the absence of ferricyanide. Clarithromycin N-oxide treatment resulted in the increase in hydroxylation of testosterone not only at the 2 beta- and 6 beta-positions (430 and 190%, respectively), but also at 7 alpha-position (60%), regardless of the presence or absence of ferricyanide. In vitro experiments with hepatic microsomes of dexamethasone-pretreated rats indicated that the metabolites that were modified at the tertiary amino group more efficiently produced the metabolite complex with cytochrome P-450 compared with the parent compound. In contrast, decladinosyl and hydroxylated metabolites had similar or lower capacities for metabolite complex formation than did the parent compound. Clarithromycin and its N-modified metabolites were able to induce 3A1 and form a metabolite complex with cytochrome P-450 in vivo in varying extents. Decladinosyl clarithromycin has a weak inducibility of 3A1 and did not form a metabolite complex with cytochrome P-450 in vivo.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)