The Effect of Milk Thistle on the Pharmacokinetics of Indinavir

Complementary and alternative medicines are widely used in the HIV-infected population. Recent data have shown serious drug interactions between certain complementary medicines and protease inhibitors. Silymarin (Milk thistle) is a commonly used dietary supplement in HIV-infected patients for treatment of hepatitis or as a hepato-protectant. Data are available suggesting that it may alter cytochrome P4503A4-mediated drug metabolism. To evaluate the effect of milk thistle on the protease inhibitor, indinavir (IDV), ten healthy subjects will receive IDV (Crixivan) alone and in combination with an over-the-counter silymarin preparation. IDV will initially be administered alone at a dose of 800 mg Q8H for four doses and serial samples will be collected for determination of IDV pharmacokinetics after the morning dose on day 2. Subjects will then initiate therapy will milk thistle using a standardized formulation and dose for three weeks after which subjects will then again take 4 doses of IDV and have serial samples collected for IDV plasma concentrations. There will then be a 11-day washout period with no drugs, after which IDV will again be given for 4 doses and samples will be collected evaluate the offset of the effects of milk thistle. To examine the effect of milk thistle on other CYP450 pathways, subjects will receive a single dose of caffeine and dextromethorphan and have urine collected before and after milk thistle, and after the washout period. Indinavir, caffeine, and dextromethorphan concentrations in plasma or urine will be determined using validated HPLC methods. Steady-state noncompartmental parameters of indinavir in the presence and absence of milk thistle will be determined. Pharmacokinetic parameters will be compared using ANOVA that will include factors for a period effect and a treatment effect. Statistical analyses will include calculation of the mean ratio of the AUC in the treatment phases compared to IDV alone and determination of 95% confidence intervals. This study will help define the drug interaction potential of complementary and alternative therapies in HIV-infected patients.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Complementary and alternative medicines are widely used in the HIV-infected population. Recent data have shown serious drug interactions between certain complementary medicines and protease inhibitors. Silymarin (Milk thistle) is a commonly used dietary supplement in HIV-infected patients for treatment of hepatitis or as a hepato-protectant. Data are available suggesting that it may alter cytochrome P4503A4-mediated drug metabolism. To evaluate the effect of milk thistle on the protease inhibitor, indinavir (IDV), ten healthy subjects will receive IDV (Crixivan) alone and in combination with an over-the-counter silymarin preparation. IDV will initially be administered alone at a dose of 800 mg Q8H for four doses and serial samples will be collected for determination of IDV pharmacokinetics after the morning dose on day 2. Subjects will then initiate therapy will milk thistle using a standardized formulation and dose for three weeks after which subjects will then again take 4 doses of IDV and have serial samples collected for IDV plasma concentrations. There will then be an 11-day washout period with no drugs, after which IDV will again be given for 4 doses and samples will be collected evaluate the offset of the effects of milk thistle. To examine the effect of milk thistle on other CYP450 pathways, subjects will receive a single dose of caffeine and dextromethorphan and have urine collected before and after milk thistle, and after the washout period. Indinavir, caffeine, and dextromethorphan concentrations in plasma or urine will be determined using validated HPLC methods. Steady-state noncompartmental parameters of indinavir in the presence and absence of milk thistle will be determined. Pharmacokinetic parameters will be compared using ANOVA that will include factors for a period effect and a treatment effect. Statistical analyses will include calculation of the mean ratio of the AUC in the treatment phases compared to IDV alone and determination of 95% confidence intervals. This study will help define the drug interaction potential of complementary and alternative therapies in HIV-infected patients.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment

20

Phase

  • Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Maryland
      • Bethesda, Maryland, United States, 20892
        • Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center (CC)

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Age 18 to 65 years.

Healthy by medical history and physical exam.

No concurrent chronic medications, including oral contraceptives.

Non-smoker or not having smoked for the past 6 months or longer.

Laboratory values within established NIAID guidelines for participation in clinical studies: AST/SGOT less than or equal to 2 times ULN; Serum creatinine less then or equal to ULN; Hemoglobin greater than or equal to 10 g/dl.

Ability to abstain from caffeine containing foods/beverages, ethanol, grapefruit or grapefruit juice and charbroiled foods for 72 hours prior to, and the day of, phenotyping procedures.

Ability to abstain from dextromethorphan-containing over the counter preparations for 72 hours prior to, and the day of, phenotyping procedures.

No concomitant therapy with other inhibitors or inducers of cytochrome P-450 mediated drug metabolism within 30 days of study (including grapefruit juice).

No ingestion of dietary supplements within the past 30 days.

Ability to obtain venous access for sample collection.

No presence of life-threatening or unstable renal, hepatic, cardiovascular, hematologic, neurologic, psychiatric, or respiratory disease or any other condition that may interfere with the interpretation of the study results or not be in the best interests of the patient in the opinion of the investigator.

Patients must not have a positive pregnancy test.

No presence of persistent diarrhea or malabsorption that would interfere with the patient's ability to adequately absorb drugs.

No drug or alcohol use that may impair safety or adherence.

No history of intolerance to milk thistle, indinavir, caffeine, or dextromethorphan preparations.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

February 1, 2001

Study Completion

June 1, 2001

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 24, 2001

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 9, 2002

First Posted (Estimate)

December 10, 2002

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

March 4, 2008

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 3, 2008

Last Verified

December 1, 2000

More Information

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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