Impact of efavirenz on intestinal metabolism and transport: insights from an interaction study with ezetimibe in healthy volunteers.

ABSTRACT: Hypercholesterolemia frequently occurs in patients treated with efavirenz who cannot be treated adequately with statins because of drug interactions. These patients may benefit from cholesterol-lowering therapy with ezetimibe. This study determined the influence of single-dose and multiple-dose efavirenz (400 mg/day for 9 days) on the pharmacokinetics and sterol-lowering of ezetimibe (10 mg) in 12 healthy subjects. In addition, the influence of efavirenz on genome-wide intestinal expression and in vitro function of ABCB1, ABCC2, UGT1A1, and OATP1B1 was studied. Efavirenz (multiple dose) had no influence on the pharmacokinetics and lipid-lowering functions of ezetimibe. Intestinal expression of enzymes and transporters (e.g., ABCB1, ABCC2, and UGT1A1) was not affected by chronic efavirenz.

SUBMITTER: Oswald S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3667671 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature