Eichelbaum M, Spannbrucker N, Dengler H J
Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1979 Sep;16(3):189-94. doi: 10.1007/BF00562060.
Sparteine is metabolized by N1-oxidation, which in some subjects is defective. The defect has a pronounced effect on the kinetics of the drug. In nonmetabolisers elimination of sparteine proceeds entirely via renal excretion by a capacity-limited process, 99,9% of the dose being excreted as unchanged drug. In metabolisers the drug is mainly eliminated by metabolic degradation. Pronounced differences in beta-phase half-life and total plasma clearance were observed between metabolisers (156 min; 535 ml . min-1) and nonmetabolisers (409 min; 180 ml . min-1).
