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Journal List > Br Med J > v.3(5775); Sep 11, 1971

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Br Med J. 1971 September 11; 3(5775): 607–609.
PMCID: PMC1798743
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Effect of Age and Sex on Human Drug Metabolism
K. O'Malley, J. Crooks, Eileen Duke, and I. H. Stevenson
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Abstract
The capacity of inpatients in a geriatric hospital to metabolize drugs was measured. The mean plasma half-life values with antipyrine and with phenylbutazone were found to be 45% and 29% greater respectively in patients than in young controls. When women alone were considered the half-life of antipyrine was 78% longer in the elderly group. In a number of elderly individuals the rate of metabolism of these two drugs was found to be extremely slow. This decreased ability to metabolize drugs may contribute to the known high incidence of adverse drug reactions in the elderly.
Within the control group a significant sex difference in the rate of antipyrine metabolism was found, the mean half-life being 30% longer in the males. It is clear from these results that the age and sex of subjects must be taken into account in studies of human drug metabolism.
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Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
  • BURNS JJ, ROSE RK, CHENKIN T, GOLDMAN A, SCHULERT A, BRODIE BB. The physiological disposition of phenylbutazone (butazolidin) in man and a method for its estimation in biological material. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1953 Nov;109(3):346–357. [PubMed]
  • Conney AH. Pharmacological implications of microsomal enzyme induction. Pharmacol Rev. 1967 Sep;19(3):317–366. [PubMed]
  • Fouts JR. The stimulation and inhibition of hepatic microsomal drug-metabolizing enzymes with special reference to effects of environmental contaminants. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1970 Nov;17(3):804–809. [PubMed]
  • Hurwitz N. Predisposing factors in adverse reactions to drugs. Br Med J. 1969 Mar 1;1(5643):536–539. [PubMed]
  • KATO R, VASSANELLI P, FRONTINO G, CHIESARA E. VARIATION IN THE ACTIVITY OF LIVER MICROSOMAL DRUG-METABOLIZING ENZYMES IN RATS IN RELATION TO THE AGE. Biochem Pharmacol. 1964 Jul;13:1037–1051. [PubMed]
  • O'Malley K, Stevenson IH, Alexander W. Increased antipyrine half-life in women taking oral contraceptives. Scott Med J. 1970 Dec;15(12):454–456. [PubMed]
  • Vesell ES, Page JG. Genetic control of drug levels in man: antipyrine. Science. 1968 Jul 5;161(836):72–73. [PubMed]
  • Vesell ES, Page JG. Genetic control of drug levels in man: phenylbutazone. Science. 1968 Mar 29;159(3822):1479–1480. [PubMed]
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