Pharmacokinetics of pyrazinamide and its metabolites in healthy subjects.

The plasma and urine pharmacokinetic parameters of pyrazinamide and of its metabolites (pyrazinoic acid, 5-hydroxy-pyrazinamide, 5-hydroxy-pyrazinoic acid and pyrazinuric acid) have been studied after a single oral dose of pyrazinamide 27 mg.kg-1 in 9 healthy subjects. Pyrazinamide was rapidly absorbed (tmax less than or equal to 1 h) and showed a short distribution phase followed by an elimination phase of t1/2 beta = 9.6 h. The close similarity of the apparent elimination rates of the metabolites led to a second trial of a single oral dose of pyrazinoic acid to evaluate the formation and elimination stages. The limiting factor was found to be the activity of a microsomal deamidase (pyrazinoic acid formation from pyrazinamide and 5-hydroxy-pyrazinoic acid formation from 5-hydroxy-pyrazinamide). In contrast, oxidation by xanthine oxidase occurred very rapidly (5-hydroxy-pyrazinamide formation and pyrazinoic acid catabolism to 5-hydroxy-pyrazinoic acid).