Microbial models of animal drug metabolism: Part 5. Microbial preparation of human hydroxylated metabolites of irbesartan

An exhaustive screening of fungal and microbial strains allowed to select the best microorganisms to produce in high yields some of the animal metabolites of an antihypertensive drug, irbesartan, in order to elucidate their structural and stereochemical characteristics. Among the microorganisms tested, bacteria, and especially Streptomyces strains, were the most active producers of the main metabolites which included diastereomeric derivatives hydroxylated in the spirocyclopentane ring, open rearranged hydroxylated derivatives, and a putative N-glycosidic conjugate of irbesartan.