title: Antibacterial activity of rifaximin reduces the levels of benzodiazepine-like compounds in patients with liver cirrhosis.
abstract: Benzodiazepine-like compounds are present in trace amounts in the blood of normal subjects and increase in liver cirrhotic patients with or without encephalopathy. Their increased presence may, however, represent an occasional precipitating factor of hepatic encephalopathy. The source of these compounds is still unknown, but they are constituents of our diet since benzodiazepine receptor ligands have been described in plants, vegetables and in animals. They may also be synthesized, at least in part, by intestinal bacterial flora. In this article we report that the level of these compounds in the blood decreased by 40% after therapy with rifaximin, which reduces the aerobic and anaerobic intestinal bacterial flora. This observation indicates that intestinal bacterial flora is involved in the production of these compounds and that repeated short-term medications with this non-absorbable antibiotic may be useful in reducing the levels of benzodiazepine-like compounds in patients with liver cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Semeiotica e Metodologia Medica, Universitá di Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Zeneroli
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Venturini
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stefanelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Farina
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Miglioli
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Minelli
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Amedei
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrieri
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Avallone
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baraldi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000382:microbiology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012294:Rifamycins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000078262:Rifaximin
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D012294:Rifamycins; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D000078262:Rifaximin