Stereoselective enzymatic hydrolysis of various ester prodrugs of ibuprofen and flurbiprofen in human plasma.

The hydrolysis kinetics of various alkyl, glycolamide, aminoethyl, and 2-(1-imidazolyl)ethyl esters of ibuprofen and flurbiprofen in 80% human plasma were investigated using a direct high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for the enantiomers of these acids. In each case, the R-isomer ester was found to undergo faster plasma-catalyzed hydrolysis than the corresponding S-isomer. The difference in the hydrolysis rates between the enantiomeric forms ranged from a factor of 1.4 for the N,N-diethylglycolamide ester of ibuprofen to a factor of 50 and 25 for the 2-(1-imidazolyl)ethyl ester of ibuprofen and flurbiprofen, respectively. Therefore, enantioselective differences in plasma-catalyzed ester prodrug hydrolysis must be taken into account when evaluating prodrugs of racemic mixtures of chiral drugs.