IN-VITRO AND IN-VIVO METABOLISM OF THE ANTIANXIOLYTIC AGENT FENOBAM IN THE RAT

Fenobam [(Fn); N-(3-chlorophenyl)-N'-(4,5-dihytiro-1-methyl- 4-oxo-1H- imidazole-2-yl)urea] sulfate is a novel agent with potent anxiolytic a ctivity in rats. [C-14]Fn sulfate was administered as an oral solution (250 mg/kg) to male Wistar rats, and 52% of the administered dose was excreted in urine (0-5 days). In vitro metabolism of Fn was studied b y incubating [C-14]Fn with rat hepatic 9000 x g supernatant preparatio ns. Unchanged Fn and a total of six metabolites were isolated, quantif ied, and identified from the urine and liver 9000 x g supernatant samp les by column chromatography; TLC; UV, IR, and NMR spectroscopy; MS; a nd comparison with synthetic samples. Four metabolic pathways for Fn a re proposed: (1) hydroxylation at the phenyl ring to form 4-hydroxyphe nyl-Fn, a major pathway in vivo (12% of the sample radioactivity) but a minor pathway in vitro (4% of the sample radioactivity); (2) hydroxy lation at the creatinine ring to form 5-hydroxy-Fn (19%) of the sample radioactivity), a dominant pathway in vitro but not in vivo; (3) oxid ative cleavage at the creatinine ring (loss of a ketene unit), a minor pathway for Fn but an important pathway for 4-hydroxyphenyl-Fn in viv o; and (4) N-demethylation, a minor pathway for Fn in vivo.