Effects of orange juice on the pharmacokinetics of atenolol.

OBJECTIVE: Fruit juices can significantly change the pharmacokinetics of several drugs. Our objective was to investigate the effect of orange juice on the pharmacokinetics of the beta-blocking agent atenolol. METHODS: In a randomized cross-over study with two phases and a washout of 2 weeks, ten healthy volunteers took either 200 ml orange juice or water thrice daily for 3 days and twice on the fourth day. On the morning of day 3, each subject ingested 50 mg atenolol with an additional amount of either 200 ml orange juice or water. The plasma concentrations of atenolol and the cumulative excretion of atenolol into urine were measured up to 33 h after its dosing. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures and heart rate were recorded in a sitting position before the intake of atenolol and 2, 4, 6, and 10 h after. RESULTS: Orange juice decreased the mean peak plasma concentration (C(max)) of atenolol by 49% (range 16-59%, P<0.01), and the mean area under the plasma atenolol concentration-time curve (AUC(0-33 h)) by 40% (range 25-55%, P<0.01). The time of the peak concentration (t(max)) and the elimination half-life (t(1/2)) of atenolol remained unchanged by orange juice. The amount of atenolol excreted into urine was decreased by 38% (range 17-60%, P<0.01), but the renal clearance remained unaltered. The average heart rate was slightly higher during the orange juice+atenolol phase than during the water+atenolol phase. CONCLUSIONS: Orange juice moderately interferes with the gastrointestinal absorption of atenolol. This food-drug interaction can be of clinical significance.

Therapeutic drug monitoring data: risperidone does not increase serum clozapine concentration.

BACKGROUND: Two case reports suggest that serum clozapine concentration may increase when risperidone is added to clozapine treatment. However, risperidone is not a significant inhibitor of the most important clozapine metabolising cytochrome P(450) (CYP) enzymes (e.g. CYP1A2). OBJECTIVE: To study whether serum clozapine concentrations are affected by risperidone. METHODS: Intraindividual comparison of serum clozapine therapeutic drug monitoring data from 18 patients during and without risperidone use. RESULTS: Addition of risperidone (mean +/-SD dose 2.9+/-0.9 mg/day, range 2-4 mg/day) to clozapine treatment (mean clozapine dose 451+/-207 mg/day) did not result in any significant changes in serum clozapine concentration or clozapine concentration/dose (C/D) ratio relative to the values without risperidone (mean clozapine dose 437+/-168 mg/day). During risperidone use mean serum clozapine concentration was 3% (P=0.75) and C/D ratio 8% (P=0.46) lower than without concomitant risperidone. The mean ratio mu(test)/mu(reference) for clozapine C/D ratios was 0.99 (90% CI 0.82-1.15), confidence interval being within the equivalence interval of 0.80-1.25. CONCLUSIONS: Risperidone does not affect serum clozapine concentrations to any significant degree.

Bacterial pneumonia can increase serum concentration of clozapine.

Concentrations of serum clozapine, C-reactive protein (CRP) and alpha1 acid glycoprotein were greatly increased during a bacterial pneumonia in a 53-year-old woman. As the pneumonia subsided, and CRP and alpha1 acid glycoprotein normalised, serum clozapine concentration also decreased to the previous level. An increased serum clozapine and a lowered N-desmethylclozapine to clozapine ratio during the infection suggest a decreased cytochrome P(450) (CYP)1A2 activity. Cytokine-mediated CYP1A2 suppression is discussed.

Effect of influenza vaccination on serum clozapine and its main metabolite concentrations in patients with schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of influenza vaccine on serum clozapine, N-desmethylclozapine and clozapine-N-oxide steady-state concentrations in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: This was an open-label study in 14 schizophrenic inpatients (with 2 drop-outs) using clozapine. Serum trough concentrations of clozapine. N-desmethylclozapine and clozapine-N-oxide, as well as the concentration of c-reactive protein (CRP), were measured immediately before conventional trivalent influenza vaccination and 2, 4, 7 and 14 days after the vaccination. RESULTS: Influenza vaccination had no significant effect on serum concentrations of clozapine, N-desmethylclozapine or clozapine-N-oxide. No changes in the clinical effects of clozapine were observed after vaccination. Influenza vaccination did not increase CRP. However, two drop-out patients who developed upper respiratory and abdominal symptoms had increased and elevated serum concentrations of clozapine, compared with the baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Influenza vaccination using conventional trivalent influenza vaccine does not affect serum concentrations of clozapine or its main metabolites. However, an infection-related increase in CRP may be associated with increased serum concentration of clozapine.

Ciprofloxacin increases serum clozapine and N-desmethylclozapine: a study in patients with schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: A possible pharmacokinetic interaction between a CYP1A2 inhibitor, ciprofloxacin, and clozapine was studied in schizophrenia patients with stable clozapine treatment. METHODS: A randomised double-blind cross-over study design with two phases was used. Seven schizophrenic inpatients volunteered to receive, in addition to their previous drug regimen, either 250 mg ciprofloxacin or placebo twice daily (b.i.d.) for 7 days. The phases were separated by a 7-day wash-out period. Serum concentrations of clozapine and its main metabolite N-desmethylclozapine were measured during both phases before the first dose on day 1 and on days 3 and 8. RESULTS: Ciprofloxacin increased mean serum concentration of clozapine and N-desmethylclozapine by 29% (P < 0.01) and 31% (P < 0.05), respectively. There was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.90, P < 0.01) between the individual concentrations of serum ciprofloxacin and the increase in concentrations of clozapine plus N-desmethylclozapine. The increase in serum clozapine concentrations correlated significantly (r = 0.89, P < 0.01) with the ratios of N-desmethylclozapine to clozapine concentrations. CONCLUSION: Even a low dose of ciprofloxacin can moderately increase serum concentrations of clozapine and N-desmethylclozapine. A probable mechanism of interaction is an inhibition of CYP1A2 enzyme by ciprofloxacin. The possibility of clinically significant interaction should be considered, especially when higher doses of ciprofloxacin are used concomitantly with clozapine.

Serum concentrations of clozapine and N-desmethylclozapine are unaffected by the potent CYP3A4 inhibitor itraconazole.

OBJECTIVE: We studied a possible pharmacokinetic interaction between clozapine and itraconazole, a potent CYP3A4 inhibitor. METHODS: A double-blind randomized study design was used. Seven schizophrenic inpatients volunteered to receive, in addition to their previous drug regimen, either 200 mg itraconazole or placebo for 7 days. For the next 7 days, itraconazole was changed to placebo and vice versa. Serum concentrations of clozapine and its main metabolite desmethylclozapine were measured on days 0, 3, 7, 10 and 14. RESULTS: Concomitant administration of itraconazole had no significant effect on serum concentrations of clozapine or desmethylclozapine. CONCLUSION: CYP3A4 seems to be of minor importance in clozapine metabolism in humans. Itraconazole, and probably also other inhibitors of CYP3A4, can be used concomitantly with clozapine.