Pharmacokinetics of Acebutolol and Its Main Metabolite, Diacetolol After Oral Administration of Acebutolol in Rabbits with Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Hepatic Failure

Pharmacokinetic characteristics of Acebutolol and its main metabolite, diacetolol, following a single 10 mg/kg oral dose, were investigated in rabbits with carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic failure. Plasma concentrations of acebutolol and diacetolol were determined by a high performance liquid chromatography assay. The area under the plasma concentration-time curves (AUC) and maximum plasma concentration ($C_{max}$) of acebutolol were significantly increased in moderate and severe carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic failure rabbits. The ratio of the diacetolol to total acebutolol in plasma (i.e., metabolite percentage rate) was significantly decreased in moderate and severe carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic failure rabbits. Volume of distribution ($V_{d}$) and total body clearance ($CL_{t}$) of acebutolol were significantly decreased in moderate and severe carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic failure rabbits. Slope of terminal phase ($\beta$) of acebutolol was significantly decreased in hepatic failure rabbits. These findings suggest that the $V_{d},{\;}CL_{t}$ and $\beta$ of acebutolol were significantly decreased as a result of inhibition of the hepatic metabolism in moderate to severe hepatic failure rabbits. Therefore, dose adjustment may be necessary for acebutolol in hypertensive patients with hepatic damage.