Hepatic, extrahepatic, microsomal, and mitochondrial activation of the N-hydroxylated prodrugs benzamidoxime, guanoxabenz, and Ro 48-3656 ([[1-[(2s)-2-[[4-[(hydroxyamino)iminomethyl]benzoyl]amino]-1-oxopropyl]-4-piperidinyl]oxy]-acetic acid).

In previous studies, it was shown that liver microsomes from rabbit, rat, pig, and human are involved in the reduction of N-hydroxylated amidines, guanidines, and amidinohydrazones of various drugs and model compounds (Drug Metab Rev 34: 565-579). One responsible enzyme system, the microsomal benzamidoxime reductase, consisting of cytochrome b5, its reductase, and a cytochrome P450 isoenzyme, was isolated from pig liver microsomes (J Biol Chem 272:19615-19620). Further investigations followed to establish whether such enzyme systems are also present in microsomes of other organs such as brain, lung, and intestine.