Cytochrome P-450 metabolic-intermediate complex formation with a series of diphenhydramine analogues.

A series of diphenhydramine analogues have been studied with regard to their formation of a metabolic intermediate (MI) during their biotransformation in phenobarbital induced rat hepatic microsomes. The MI forms a complex with reduced cytochrome P-450. MI complexation of cytochrome P-450 may result in drug-drug interactions and/or in cumulation of the parent compound. The extent of MI complex formation could be correlated with the lipophilicity of the substrates in a parabolic manner. A hydrophobic pocket of limited dimensions in cytochrome P-450 for the N-alkyl substituent of the substrates can be assumed. Moreover our data indicate a role for the O-atom in the diphenhydramine analogues for the interaction with cytochrome P-450.