Metabolism of the anticonvulsant agent zonisamide in the rat
Stiff, D.D.; Zemaitis, M.A.
Drug Metabolism and Disposition the Biological Fate of Chemicals 18(6): 888-894
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0090-9556 PMID: 1981533 Document Number: 351229
The metabolism of zonisamide [3-(sulfamoylmethyl)-1,2-benzisoxazole], a new anticonvulsant, has been studied. In rats dosed with [14C]zonisamide (100 mg/kg, ip) 86.5% of the radioactive dose was excreted in the urine over 72 hr. The remainder of the radioactive dose (13.5%) was excreted in the feces over the same time period. Unchanged drug and eight metabolites were isolated from the urine, and the structures of five metabolites were assigned by physico-chemical methods. Metabolism of zonisamide primarily involves reductive and conjugative mechanisms, with oxidation of this compound being of minor metabolic significance. The percentage of urinary radioactivity accounted for by unmetabolized zonisamide and metabolites is as follows: unmetabolized zonisamide (metabolite 9), 32.8%; metabolite 8 [N-acetyl-3-(sulfamoylmethyl)-1,2-benzisoxazole], 7.7%; unidentified metabolite 7, 2.4%; metabolite 6 (zonisamide glucuronide), 7.6%; metabolite 5 [3-(carboxyl)-1,2-benzisoxazole], 5.4%; unidentified metabolite 4, 13.1% metabolite 3 [2-(sulfamoylacetyl)-phenol glucuronide], 12.6%; unidentified metabolite 2, 3.8%; and metabolite 1 (2-[1-(amino)sulfamoylethyl]phenol sulfate), 2.3%. A total of 87.7% of the 0-24 hr urinary radioactivity was accounted for by unchanged zonisamide and metabolites.