Ethnic difference in drug metabolism: debrisoquine 4-hydroxylation in Caucasians and Orientals

Abstract

The extent to which the antihypertensive debrisoquine (D) is metabolized to 4-hydroxydebrisoquine (4OHD) was influenced by the ethnic origin of the subjects. Following ingestion of 20 mg of debrisoquine sulfate, orientals excreted, on the average, significantly more D and less 4OHD in 0-8 h urine than caucasians; but the sums of D + 4OHD did not differ.