In vivo and in vitro studies exploring the pharmacokinetic interaction between bosentan, a dual endothelin receptor antagonist, and glyburide

BACKGROUND: In a clinical trial with patients with chronic heart failure, a higher incidence of elevated levels of liver transaminases was observed during concomitant treatment with bosentan, a dual endothelin receptor antagonist, and glyburide (INN, glibenclamide), a sulfonylurea-type antidiabetic drug, than with treatment with bosentan alone. This study was conducted to investigate a possible pharmacokinetic interaction between bosentan and glyburide. METHODS: In a randomized, 2-way crossover study, 12 healthy volunteers received treatments A and B. Treatment A consisted of 125 mg bosentan twice a day for 10 days plus concomitant 2.5 mg glyburide twice a day on days 6 to 10. Treatment B consisted of 2.5 mg glyburide twice a day for 10 days plus concomitant 125 mg bosentan twice a day on days 6 to 10. Plasma concentrations of bosentan and its metabolites and of glyburide were measured on days 5 and 10 of treatment A and treatment B, respectively. RESULTS: Bosentan reduced the area under the concentration-versus-time curve of glyburide approximately 40% (P <.05). Glyburide decreased the area under the concentration-versus-time curve of bosentan and its metabolites 20% to 30% (P <.05). Results of in vitro experiments showed that glyburide is metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C9, 2C19, and 3A4. No interaction was observed on the level of serum protein binding. CONCLUSIONS: The plasma levels of both bosentan and glyburide were reduced after concomitant administration. This finding is consistent with a CYP3A4-inducing potential of both drugs. The observed pharmacodynamic interaction between bosentan and glyburide in patients with chronic heart failure cannot be explained by a pharmacokinetic interaction.