Time-dependent inhibition of theophylline elimination by erythromycin stearate

✍ Scribed by G. I. Adebayo; M. O. Adewumi; A. F. B. Mabadeje

• Book ID: 101702165
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1986
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 320 KB
• Volume: 7
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0142-2782
• DOI: 10.1002/bdd.2510070508

✦ Synopsis

The effect of erythromycin stearate at a dose of 1 g daily on theophylline disposition was studied in six healthy adult males. The mean value of 5.46 h for the theophylline half-life after 48 h pretreatment with erythromycin stearate was not significantly different from the control value of 5.24 h. The half-life value of 8.48 h after a 1-week course of the antibiotic, however, represented a significant increase (p < 0.005).

Theophylline disposition 1 week after the last dose of the antibiotic was not significantly different from the control. It is suggested that therapeutic doses of erythromycin stearate for a week or more could impair the disposition of concurrently administered theophylline. The impairment however, is reversible, being absent a week after the last antibiotic dose.