New chemical aspects of primidone metabolism

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0223-5234(90)90165-Y

Primidone is metabolized either into phenylethylmalondiamide or phenobarbital. 2-Hydroxyprimidone was synthesized and tested as a potential intermediate common to these two biodegradation pathways in dogs as well as in vitro. On the other hand, the mechanism of the formation of α-phenyl-γ-butyrolactone during intoxication was investigated and the role of precursor played by the phenobarbital generated in vivo was shown.