Enzyme-inductive effect of a hypolipidemic compound N-bis-(p-chlorophenoxy)-acetyl-urea in man and rat.

Besides its antilipidaemic effect, the new clofibric acid derivative (N-bis-(p-chlorohenoxy)-acetyl-urea) has an enzyme-inductive effect. The drug was administered (100 mg/kg orally) to male, Wistar rats for three days. The treatment raised the weight of the liver, the content of liver microsomal protein and cytochrome p-450 and shortened the hexobarbital sleeping time. The increase of cytochrome p-450 dependent biotransformation was found by in vitro methods in 9000-g supernatant of liver homogenate. There was a growth in biotransformation of substrates of type I (ethylmorphine, aminopyrine) and an extreme increase in reduction of nitrobenzene. We did not find any change in biotransformation of the type-II substrate aniline. In 16 patients suffering from Gilbert's syndrome, there was a decrease in the level of serum bilirubin, and increase of D-glucuric-acid output in urine and bromsulphophthalein transport maximum following the treatment of this drug given in 150 mg/day orally for three weeks. After this treatment, the level of gamma-glutamyl-transpeptides did not change. The authors highly recommend the serious consideration of metabolic interaction during the clinical application.