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Oral codeine preparations, widely used for analgesia and cough suppression, are abused by some individuals for their mood-altering properties. The enzymatic O-demethylation of codeine is catalyzed by cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6), leading to the production of metabolites (morphine, morphine-6-glucuronide) that are pharmacologically more potent than codeine. A placebo-controlled, single-blind study was conducted to characterize the subjective effects of codeine associated with abuse liability and to determine the importance of metabolic O-demethylation to codeine abuse liability. Twelve non-drug-dependent subjects received oral administration of placebo and codeine 60, 120, and 180 mg, and a favorite dose (FD) was determined for each subject. The FD was readministered after pretreatment with placebo, 50 mg of quinidine (a specific, selective CYP2D6 inhibitor) once, or 50 mg of quinidine given four times a day for 4 days. Single-dose quinidine pretreatment significantly decreased the recovery of O-demethylated metabolites in plasma (p < 0.01) and resulted in a decrease in the positive (e.g., "high," p < 0.05) and negative (e.g., nausea, p < 0.05) subjective effects of codeine in both the FD120 and FD180 groups. Short-term quinidine pretreatment inhibited codeine O-demethylation more than did single-dose quinidine pretreatment (p < 0.01), and it decreased positive codeine effects in the FD120 group (N = 7), but unexpectedly not in the FD180 group (N = 5). These results suggest that the O-demethylated metabolites contribute substantially to the subjective effects and abuse liability of codeine.

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of codeine on oro-cecal transit time (OCTT) in Chinese subjects., Methods: OCTT was measured with the hydrogen breath test in 12 Chinese healthy volunteers on two occasions: after placebo and after a single oral dose of codeine 50 mg. Codeine and its metabolites in urine were measured by HPLC. The Results of this study were compared with those previously obtained from Caucasian subjects., Results and Conclusion: The mean OCTT increased significantly after a single oral dose of codeine 50 mg [2.6 (1.2) h] compared with placebo [1.9 (0.6) h] in the Chinese subjects (P = 0.05). The increase in OCTT after codeine was similar in the Caucasian [0.9 (0.8) h] and in the Chinese subjects [0.7 (0.9) h]. However, the Chinese subjects had a significantly longer OCTT after placebo [1.9 (0.6) h] compared with the Caucasian subjects [1.3 (0.6) h, P < 0.05], possibly due to different environmental factors.

The O-demethylation of codeine is polymorphic and catalyzed by CYP2D6. The metabolites of codeine formed through O- and N-demethylation as well as glucuronidation were quantified in the ultrarapid metabolizers of debrisoquine and compared with the normal extensive (EM) and poor metabolizers (PM). The urinary codeine and its seven metabolites were detected after 25 mg codeine in 24 healthy Caucasian subjects with low debrisoquine metabolic ratios (MR, < or = 0.11) and a group of 132 subjects tested earlier with codeine and debrisoquine including 114 EMs (MR < 12.6) and 18 PMs (MR > 12.6). Whereas the O-demethylated metabolites accounted for < 0.4% of the total recovery on average in the PMs and 1.7% to 8.7% in the EMs, they accounted for 15.3% in the 24 subjects with ultrarapid metabolism of debrisoquine. This study suggests that the ultrarapid debrisoquine hydroxylators may develop increased O-demethylated metabolite-dependent effects or side-effects of codeine.

Aims: To evaluate the use of different graphical methods and statistical tests in the detection of interindividual and interethnic variations in codeine metabolism. Various urinary metabolic ratios (MR) for codeine O-demethylation were also compared for their ability to determine phenotype., Methods: Frequency histograms, normal test variable (NTV) plots and admixture analysis were used to examine the distributions of the urinary MRs for codeine O-demethylation, N-demethylation and glucuronidation in 132 Caucasian and 222 Chinese subjects., Results: In the Caucasian population, apparent bimodality was shown in both a frequency histogram and NTV plot of the log MR of codeine O-demethylation (codeine/(morphine (M) + M-3 and M-6-glucuronide (M3G and M6G) + normorphine (NM)). Admixture analysis confirmed the co-segregation of codeine O-demethylation and debrisoquine hydroxylation. The antimode for the codeine O-demethylation MR between extensive and poor metabolisers was located between 5.5 and 8.3. A simplified MR for codeine O-demethylation (codeine/M3G) demonstrated a similar correlation with the debrisoquine MR to the more complex MR, allowing a simplification of the analytical method for phenotyping. The Chinese population had significantly higher median MRs for codeine N-demethylation, O-demethylation and glucuronidation, which was shown clearly in the frequency histograms, but not in the NTV plots., Conclusion: A histogram seems preferable over a NTV plot for assigning phenotype using the codeine O-demethylation MR, because it is clear and simple. Interethnic difference in the metabolism of codeine are also better visualised from the histograms.

Methods: Codeine (50 mg) was administered to 12 extensive metabolisers (EM) and 12 poor metabolisers (PM) of debrisoquine. The oro-caecal transit time was estimated by the hydrogen breath test. The urinary excretion of codeine and metabolites during a 6-h interval was estimated after simultaneous analysis of codeine, morphine-3-glucuronide (M3G), morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G), morphine (M), normorphine (NM), norcodeine, norcodeine glucuronide and codeine-6-glucuronide using HPLC., Results: The mean transit times after placebo were 1.3 h in the EM and 1.4 h in the PM. The corresponding figures after ingestion of codeine were 2.2 h and 2.1 h. The differences between the groups were statistically and clinically insignificant. The effect of codeine compared with placebo was significantly different in both groups. As expected, the metabolites of the O-demethylation pathway, M, M6G, M3G and NM were significantly lower in the PM. Interestingly, the recovery of the dose in the form of codeine (> 1.7 times) and norcodeine (> 2.5 times) was significantly higher in the PM, indicating compensatory metabolism via N-demethylation., Conclusion: In contrast to the analgesic effect, the prolongation of gastrointestinal transit caused by the drug does not depend on the formation of O-demethylated active metabolites M, M6G or NM.

Objective: The O- and N-demethylation of codeine is catalysed by CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 respectively. The formation rates of morphine by O-demethylation and norcodeine by N-demethylation were studied in two sets of human liver microsomes., Results: Relatively high K(m) values were found for both O- and N-demethylations, suggesting a low affinity to the corresponding enzymes. The inhibitory effects of various drugs were found to be different for O- and N-demethylations. The substrates of CYP2D6 such as thioridazine, amitriptyline and metoprolol inhibited the O-demethylation of codeine preferentially, while the substrates of CYP3A4 such as cyclosporine A, midazolam and erythromycin were all strong inhibitors of the N-demethylation of codeine. Quinidine and lignocaine, although they are substrates of CYP3A, showed preferential inhibition over the O-demethylation of codeine, suggesting a low affinity to the CYP3A. Methadone and dextropropoxyphene showed a preferential inhibition of CYP2D6 over CYP3A, while theophylline did not inhibit the O- or N-demethylation to a greater extent., Conclusion: It seems that there was a good correspondence between the capacity of drugs to inhibit the O- and N-demethylation of codeine in human liver microsomes and their apparent metabolism by CYP2D6 or CYP3A4, respectively in vivo in man, suggesting that this in vitro inhibition test may be a useful screen for drugs which interact with these two important drug-metabolising enzymes.

A reversed-phase ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of codeine and seven metabolites is described. The samples are purified by reversed-phase solid-phase extraction. Codeine, norcodeine, codeine-6-glucuronide, norcodeine-6-glucuronide and morphine-3-glucuronide are measured with UV detection. Detection limits are 3 nmol/l (morphine-3-glucuronide) to 20 nmol/l (codeine). Morphine, normorphine and morphine-6-glucuronide are measured with electrochemical detection. Detection limits are 0.4 nmol/1 (morphine-6-glucuronide) to 1.0 nmol/l (normorphine). Correlation coefficients better than 0.998 are normally obtained for all compounds. The method was applied to the determination of the kinetics of codeine and its metabolites in plasma and urine samples from healthy volunteers.

The inducibility of codeine metabolism by carbamazepine (CBZ) and cigarette smoking has been investigated. A single oral dose of 25 mg of codeine was given to seven epileptic patients before and after 3 weeks' regular CBZ treatment (400-600 mg per day). Codeine was also given to nine volunteers who were heavy smokers (20 cigarettes per day) and to nine non-smokers as controls. All subjects were found to be extensive metabolizers of codeine by O-demethylation. Urine was collected over 8 h following codeine intake. Codeine and the metabolites were analysed with HPLC. CBZ significantly increased the urinary excretion of the N-demethylated metabolite, norcodeine (NC) which led to a significant decrease in the metabolic ratio (MR) for N-demethylation. The O-demethylation was not significantly altered. The excretion of normorphine, an active metabolite formed through both O- and N-demethylation of codeine increased by almost three-fold after CBZ treatment. Contrary to CBZ treatment, cigarette smoking slightly but significantly induced the glucuronidation of codeine as shown by a decreased MR for glucuronidation in the smokers, while the O- and N-demethylations were not significantly changed as indicated by the similar MRs in smokers and in non-smokers. These results suggest that CBZ and cigarette smoking selectively induce different metabolizing enzymes. The polymorphic O-demethylation is relatively stable to these factors.

1. The kinetics of codeine and metabolites were studied in eight unrelated healthy Chinese subjects following a single oral dose of 50 mg codeine phosphate. The data were compared with those from eight Caucasian subjects who were matched with the Chinese group according to their metabolic ratio (MR) of debrisoquine. 2. Mean values of Cmax (445 nmol l-1) and AUC (1660 nmol l-1 h) of codeine in the Chinese were significantly higher than those in the Caucasians (292 nmol l-1 and 1010 nmol l-1 h). Thus plasma clearance was significantly lower (P less than 0.02) and the plasma half-life was longer (P less than 0.05) in the Chinese. 3. Partial clearance by glucuronidation was significantly lower (0.79 +/- 0.14 s.d. vs 1.42 +/- 0.48 s.d. 1 h-1 kg-1) in Chinese than in Caucasians. 4. The total urinary recovery of drug-related material in 48 h urine was similar in Chinese (82.2%) and Caucasians (84.4%). The recovery of unchanged codeine was significantly higher in Chinese (5.7%) than in Caucasians (3.3%). 5. The AUC ratios of codeine relative to its 6-glucuronide, morphine and norcodeine were 1:9, 35:1 and 4:1, respectively in Chinese. The corresponding ratios in Caucasians were 1:15, 50:1 and 6:1. 6. There was no significant difference between Chinese and Caucasians in the renal clearances of codeine and its primary metabolites. 7. Large interethnic differences in the kinetics of codeine have been shown. The Chinese are less able to metabolise codeine mainly because of a lower efficiency in glucuronidation.

1. The kinetics of codeine and seven of its metabolites codeine-6-glucuronide (C6G), norcodeine (NC), NC-glucuronide (NCG), morphine (M), M-3 (M3G) and 6-glucuronides (M6G), and normorphine (NM) were investigated after a single oral dose of 50 mg codeine phosphate in 14 healthy Caucasian subjects including eight extensive (EM) and six poor (PM) hydroxylators of debrisoquine. The plasma and urine concentrations of codeine and the metabolites were measured by h.p.l.c. 2. The mean area under the curve (AUC), half-life and total plasma clearance of codeine were 1020 +/- 340 nmol l-1 h, 2.58 +/- 0.57 h and 2.02 +/- 0.73 l h-1 kg-1, respectively. There were no significant differences between EM and PM in these aspects. 3. PM had significantly lower AUC of M3G, the active metabolites M6G, NM and M (P less than 0.0001), and lower partial metabolic clearance by O-demethylation (P less than 0.0001). In contrast, the PM had higher AUC of NC (P less than 0.05) than the EM. There was no difference between PM and EM in the AUC of C6G and NCG, nor in the partial clearances by N-demethylation and glucuronidation. 4. Among EM, the AUC of C6G was 15 times higher than that of codeine, which in turn was 50 times higher than that of M. The AUCs of M6G and NM were about 6 and 10 times higher than that of M, respectively. The partial clearance by glucuronidation was about 8 and 12 times higher than those by N- and O-demethylations, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The Far Eastern and Caucasian populations are strikingly different with respect to the debrisoquine/sparteine hydroxylation polymorphism. The number of poor metabolizers, as defined for Caucasians, is very low among Chinese and Japanese. We investigated the molecular basis for this difference by analysis of the CYP2D6 gene in 115 Chinese subjects, combined with phenotypic classification of codeine and debrisoquine metabolism. A correlation between the rates of metabolism of these two drugs and genotype, as analyzed by RFLP using XbaI, was observed among the Chinese. A high frequency (37%) of alleles indicative of gene insertions (reflected by XbaI 44kb fragments) was recorded in the Chinese, but was not associated with the poor metabolizer phenotype, as it is in Caucasians. PCR amplification of part of the CYP2D6 gene with mutation specific primers for CYP2D6A (29A) and CYP2D6B (29B) allelic variants revealed that the XbaI 44kb fragment in Chinese apparently contains a functional CYP2D6 gene, in contrast to the situation among Caucasians. The results provide a molecular explanation of the interethnic difference in the metabolism of drugs affected by the debrisoquine hydroxylation polymorphism.

Glucuronidation of codeine was detected and compared with that of morphine in microsomes from human livers and kidneys. Vmax values for codeine-6-glucuronide (C6G) were 0.54 +/- 0.24 and 0.74 +/- 0.35 nmol/mg/min. in the livers and 0.10 and 0.13 nmol/mg/min. in the kidney, respectively, when codeine and UDP-glucuronic acid (UDPGA) were incubated with microsomal preparation. The corresponding Km values were 2.21 +/- 0.68 and 1.41 +/- 0.36 mM in the livers and 6.69 and 4.12 mM in the kidney. The average codeine glucuronyltransferase (GT) activity was 14-fold lower in the six kidneys than in the 11 livers. Higher GT activities were observed in liver microsomes from patients who had been exposed to enzyme inducers. Rates of glucuronide formation from morphine correlated significantly with those from codeine in both human liver and kidney microsomes. Morphine, amitriptyline, diazepam, probenecid and chloramphenicol inhibited codeine glucuronidation with Ki values of 3.6, 0.13, 0.18, 1.7 and 0.27 mM, respectively.

1. A single oral dose of codeine (25 mg) was given to 132 healthy Swedish Caucasians who had previously been phenotyped with respect to debrisoquine hydroxylation. The 'metabolic ratios' (MR) in urine of codeine O-demethylation (codeine/(morphine (M) + morphine-3- and 6-glucuronides (M3G and M6G) + normorphine], N-demethylation (codeine/(norcodeine (NC) + norcodeine glucuronide + normorphine (NM]) and glucuronidation (codeine/codeine-6-glucuronide (C6G] were calculated following h.p.l.c. analysis of urine samples collected over 8 h. 2. There was a significant correlation between the log MR for debrisoquine hydroxylation and the log MR for codeine O-demethylation (rs = 0.77, P less than 0.001). The poor debrisoquine hydroxylators had MRs of codeine O-demethylation between 8.3 and 55.1, while the values for extensive hydroxylators were between 0.4 and 5.5. 3. The poor debrisoquine hydroxylators excreted significantly less M, M3G, M6G and NM, while the urinary recovery of C6G and NC was significantly higher in these subjects compared to the extensive hydroxylators. 4. The MRs for glucuronidation and N-demethylation did not exhibit a bimodal distribution, and were not related to the MR of debrisoquine hydroxylation. 5. No associations were found between sex, body-weight, smoking habits, age, urine volume or urine pH and the O-demethylation of codeine. 6. The O-demethylation of codeine to form M appears to be under the same polymorphic genetic control as the 4-hydroxylation of debrisoquine.

1. The 8 h urinary excretion of codeine and seven of its metabolites was compared in 149 healthy Swedish Caucasians and 133 healthy Chinese following a single oral dose of 25 mg codeine phosphate. 2. The total 8 h urinary recovery of drug-related material was 74 +/- 24% in the Caucasians and 60 +/- 14% in the Chinese (P less than 0.001). The excretion of unchanged codeine was significantly higher in the Chinese (7.2%) compared with the Caucasians (4.3%, P less than 0.001). 3. The Caucasians excreted significantly greater proportions of codeine-6-glucuronide (C6G) (62%) than the Chinese (44%) (P less than 0.001). The frequency distribution of the log metabolic ratio (MR) for glucuronidation (codeine/C6G) was shifted towards higher values in the Chinese population. Males in both groups and Chinese smokers had significantly lower glucuronidation MRs than females and non-smokers in the respective populations (P less than 0.001). 4. The frequency distribution of the MR for O-demethylation (codeine/morphine (M) + M-3 and M-6-glucuronide (M3G and M6G) + normorphine (NM) was highly skewed in the Caucasians, suggestive of a bimodal distribution. There was a 160-fold interindividual variation in this MR. A unimodal distribution of the log O-demethylation MR was observed in Chinese. The Caucasians excreted less M and more M6G than did the Chinese (P less than 0.001). 5. Significantly more norcodeine (NC) and less NC-glucuronide (NCG) were excreted in the Chinese compared with the Caucasians (P less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)