The human urinary metabolites of diltiazem were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Diltiazem was metabolized by deacetylation, N-demethylation, O-demethylation and conjugation. Metabolite MA, N- monodemethyl -diltiazem, was identified as a new major metabolite in human urine, and four metabolites were identified as deacetyl-diltiazem (M1), deacetyl-N- monodemethyl -diltiazem (M2), deacetyl-O-demethyl-diltiazem (M4), deacetyl-N,O-demethyl-diltiazem (M6) which were known as rat urinary metabolites. Metabolite M2, M4 and M6 were converted in part to glucuronides and/or sulfates. Unchanged diltiazem and metabolite MA were determined in human plasma and urine by TLC-densitometry. Diltiazem and metabolite MA excreted in 24-h urine were 44.4 and 48.5% of the total unconjugated form, respectively. The mean plasma level of metabolite MA was approximately one-third of diltiazem level. On the basis of these findings, a probable metabolic pathway of diltiazem in man is presented.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.