The disposition and metabolism of (+)-cyanidanol-3 in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis

The effect of alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver on the disposition and metabolism of (+)-cyanidanol-3 has been studied in three patients. Following oral intake of U-14C-(+)-cyanidanol-3 2 g, the unchanged drug was detected in plasma between 0.5 and 24 h after dosing and the metabolites, measured only as 14C-levels, were still detectable at 120 h. A mean of 55% of the dose was excreted in the urine, in which the major metabolites were the glucuronic and sulphuric acid conjugates of (+)-cyanidanol-3 and 3'-O-methyl-(+)-cyanidanol-3, although one patient excreted a larger proportion as non-conjugated metabolites. The pattern of metabolism in the patients did not differ significantly from that in control subjects, suggesting that the drug is handled by the cirrhotic liver in a similar manner to the normal liver.