Pharmacological basis for hepatic drug metabolism in sheep

Age-related changes in hepatic drug metabolizing activities of Lacaune ewes were determined in foetal, neonatal, growing, pregnant and adult animals. The ontogenic evolution of cytochrome P450 was compared to those of microsomal monooxygenases and some microsomal and cytosolic transferases. The involvement of two purified izoenzymes P4502B and P4503A was determined in the N-demethylation of various substrates and the hydroxylations of progesterone. An experimental fascioliasis, provoked by the oral administration of 150 metacercariae of Fasciola hepatica to sheep, was proposed as a pathological model. Its effect was measured on the pharmacokinetics of various hepatic tracers and veterinary drugs. The mean residence times of antipyrine, pentobarbital, albendazole and mebendazole were increased in infected lambs with consequences on the urinary excretion of 4-hydroxyantipyrine, prolongation of pentobarbital-induced sleeping time, elimination of albendazole sulfone and reduced mebendazole. The characteristic decrease in liver cytochrome P450 could be responsible for most of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes observed in fluke-infected ruminants.