Failure of rifampin to induce the metabolism of clonidine in normal volunteers.
Patients receiving rifampin and methadone often incur withdrawal symptoms related to an increased rate of metabolism of methadone induced by rifampin. In order to test the hypothesis that clonidine metabolism is similarly altered by rifampin, six normal volunteers received clonidine 0.2 mg bid for four days and clonidine concentration was assayed by a RIA procedure. Beginning on day 5, rifampin 600 mg q12h was added to the clonidine regimen. Both drugs were taken for a total of seven days. On the last day of the study, blood was again sampled for clonidine. On days 4 and 12, urine was collected for d-glucaric acid. The results demonstrate that there is no change in the elimination kinetics of clonidine before and during rifampin administration. However, there was an increase in UDGA following the rifampin dosing. It is concluded that patients receiving rifampin can also receive clonidine for treatment of narcotic withdrawal.
D003000:Clonidine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005937:Glucaric Acid / Q000652:urine; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D012293:Rifampin / Q000494:pharmacology*
D003000:Clonidine; D005937:Glucaric Acid; D012293:Rifampin