This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Benson, A. B. Articles by Dolan, M. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Benson, A. B., III Articles by Dolan, M. E.

Chronic Daily Low Dose of 4-Methyl-5-(2-pyrazinyl)-1,2-dithiole-3-thione (Oltipraz) in Patients with Previously Resected Colon Polyps and First-Degree Female Relatives of Breast Cancer Patients¹

Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology [A. B. B.], and Department of Preventive Medicine [A. R.], Northwestern University Medical School, and Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center [A. B. B., A. R., L. S-M., S. F.], Chicago, Illinois 60611; Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois [O. I. O., M. J. R., M. E. D.]; Committee on Clinical Pharmacology and Cancer Research Center, Chicago, Illinois 60637 [M. J. R.]; and Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Loyola University, Chicago, Illinois 60153

The chemoprevention agent oltipraz, one of the most active chemopreventive compounds in preclinical studies, has been shown to induce glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity in animals. Oltipraz was evaluated in a Phase I trial at daily oral doses of 20 mg (L1), 50 mg (L2), and 100 mg (L3) and twice weekly doses of 125 mg (L4) taken for 6 months with 6 patients entered at L1 and L2 and 7 patients entered at L3 and L4 (26 subjects: 19 females and 7 males). The subject population included patients with previously resected colon polyps and first-degree female relatives of breast cancer patients. Patients with resected colon polyps underwent rectal biopsy for GST and glutathione (GSH) analyses. Of the 26 subjects, the following completed 6 months of therapy: 4 of 6 patients (L1), 4 of 6 patients (L2), 5 of 7 patients (L3), and 4 of 7 patients (L4). Toxicities were mild to severe and included: gastrointestinal symptoms, photosensitivity/heat intolerance, and neurological symptoms. Monthly plasma samples were obtained 2–3 h after oltipraz ingestion with minimally detectable plasma concentrations at L1. There was a significant difference in mean oltipraz concentration across the four doses, with no significant differences in mean oltipraz concentration over time. Rectal tissue and lymphocyte GSH and GST were variable, with no significant difference in mean levels across doses. At the 100-mg/day dose (L3), 1 patient experienced significant increase in rectal tissue GSH and GST activity, whereas 3 additional patients (L1 and L4) had >50% increase in tissue GSH. Lymphocyte GSH level was significantly related to plasma oltipraz concentration. There were no significant correlations between plasma oltipraz concentration and lymphocyte GST level nor any significant correlation between plasma concentration and percentage of change in tissue GSH or GST. Further investigation of dose/schedule and biological end points is ongoing.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. J. Kelley, E. M. Glaser, J. E. Herndon II, F. Becker, R. Bhagat, Y.-J. Zhang, R. M. Santella, S. G. Carmella, S. S. Hecht, L. Gallot, et al. Safety and Efficacy of Weekly Oral Oltipraz in Chronic Smokers Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., April 1, 2005; 14(4): 892 - 899. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. A. Wark, M. J.A.L. Grubben, W. H.M. Peters, F. M. Nagengast, E. Kampman, F. J. Kok, and P. van 't Veer Habitual consumption of fruits and vegetables: associations with human rectal glutathione S-transferase Carcinogenesis, November 1, 2004; 25(11): 2135 - 2142. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. A. Zarbin Current Concepts in the Pathogenesis of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Arch Ophthalmol, April 1, 2004; 122(4): 598 - 614. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]