Aldo-ketoreductases

The phase I reactions are mediated primarily by liver enzymes such as cytochrome P450 (CYP450), FAD-containing mono-oxygenase (FMO), monoamine oxidase (MAO), molybdenum hydroxylase (aldehyde oxidase/xanthine oxidase AO/XO), aldo-ketoreductase (AKR), epoxide hydrolase (EH), and esterase. 

In 2014, the group of Rahman reported the asymmetric Michael addition of aliphatic aldehydes and ketones to substituted tra s-(3-nitrostyrenes catalysed by aldo-ketoreductase mimicking peptides. A selected series of peptides, analogous to amino acid sequences of the enzyme, showed in all cases fair to excellent yields and diastereoselectivities with enantiomeric excesses of up to 71%. 

Neither adriamycin nor daunomycin is absorbed orally [128] due to hydrolysis in the g.i,t. and so they must be administered by i.v. infusion. Both drugs undergo metabolism [129,130] and the predominant metabolites are adriamyci-nol (83) and daunorubicinol (84) respectively, in which the 13-keto group has been reduced. The enzyme responsible is a cytoplasmic aldo-ketoreductase which is found in all tissues, the kidney having the highest activity [131,132]. This is not the only metabolic transformation however, both the parent drug and its 13-dihydro-metabolite are metabolised by microsomal enzymes. Most of the... 

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