title: Phenytoin and carbamazepine decreased oral bioavailability of praziquantel.
abstract: Antiepileptic drugs, especially carbamazepine and phenytoin, are potent liver enzyme inducers. Since praziquantel, the drug used to treat neurocysticercosis, undergoes extensive liver first-pass metabolism, we carried out a prospective study to verify whether there was a decrease in oral bioavailability induced by carbamazepine and phenytoin. Carbamazepine and phenytoin significantly decreased concentrations of praziquantel, due to increased clearance secondary to induction of first pass-liver metabolism. The magnitude of the decrease is surprisingly high and may be responsible for failures of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Neurology Unit, Hospital Nossa Senhora das Graças, Curitiba, Brazil.
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Bittencourt
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Gracia
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Diekmann
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001682:Biological Availability; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002220:Carbamazepine; D010672:Phenytoin; D011223:Praziquantel