Effect of diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) and ticlopidine on CYP1A2 activity and caffeine metabolism: an in vitro comparative study with human cDNA-expressed CYP1A2 and liver microsomes

The aim of the present study was to test the effect of diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC), which is regarded as a cytochrome P450 (CYP) CYP2A6 and CYP2E1 inhibitor, and ticlopidine, an efficient CYP2B6, CYP2C19 and CYP2D6 inhibitor, on the activity of human CYP1A2 and the metabolism of caffeine (1-N-, 3-N- and 7-N-demethylation, and C-8-hydroxylation). The experiment was carried out in vitro using human cDNA-expressed CYP1A2 (Supersomes) and human pooled liver microsomes. The effects of DDC and ticlopidine were compared to those of furafylline (a strong CYP1A2 inhibitor). A comparative in vitro study provides clear evidence that ticlopidine and DDC, applied at concentrations that inhibit the above-mentioned CYP isoforms, potently (as compared to furafylline) inhibit human CYP1A2 and caffeine metabolism, in particular 1-N- and 3-N-demethylation.