Artemisinin induces omeprazole metabolism in human beings

Ulrika S.H. Svensson*, Michael Ashton, Trinh Ngoc Hai, Leif Bertilsson, Dinh Xuan Huong, Nguyen Van Huong, Nguyen Thi Niêu, Nguyen Duy Sy, Jens Lykkesfeldt, Le Dinh Công

*Corresponding author for this work
    74 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Objective: This study investigated whether time-dependent artemisinin pharmacokinetics correlated to CYP3A4 or CYP2C19 activity in vivo. Methods: Artemisinin (two oral doses per day of 250 mg) was given to nine healthy Vietnamese subjects for 7 days (day 1 to day 7). Single 20 mg doses of omeprazole were given orally on day-7, day 1, and day 7. Single doses of artemisinin and omeprazole were given in combination on day 14 after a 6-day washout period. The pharmacokinetics of artemisinin, omeprazole, hydroxyomeprazole, and omeprazole sulfone were evaluated on days -7, 1, 7, and 14. On the same days urine was collected for the determination of 6β- hydroxycortisol and cortisol excretion. Results: Areas under plasma concentration-time curves (AUC) for artemisinin and omeprazole decreased on day 7 to 20% (95% confidence intervals, 13%, 28%) and 35% (25%, 46%), respectively, compared with values on day 1. AUC ratios for hydroxyomeprazole/omeprazole increased 2.2-fold (1.7, 2.7) on day 7 compared with values on day 1. All values were normalized at day 14. There were no significant changes in the omeprazole sulfone/omeprazole ratio or in the 6β- hydroxycortisol/cortisol ratio between the study days. In one subject found to have poor CYP2C19 metabolization, the elimination of omeprazole increased after artemisinin exposure, with no change in the hydroxyomeprazole/omeprazole AUC ratio. Conclusion: Artemisinin did not alter CYP3A4 activity, whereas an increase in CYP2C19 activity was observed. The increased elimination of omeprazole in both poor and extensive CYP2C19 metabolizers suggests artemisinin induces both CYP2C19 and another enzyme.

    Original languageEnglish
    JournalClinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
    Volume64
    Issue number2
    Pages (from-to)160-167
    Number of pages8
    ISSN0009-9236
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 1998

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