• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2004

The pharmacokinetics of orally administered verapamil (10 mg/kg) was studied in six rabbits after 20 min pretreatment with quercetin ad coadministration of quercetin (2.0 mg/kg, 1 mg/g and 20 mg/kg, respectively). Pretreatment with quercetin significantly (p < 0.01, p < 0.05) increased the plasma concentration of verapamil. However, coadministration of quercetin showed no significantly effect on the pharmacokinetic parameters of verapamil. The elimination rate constant $(K_{el})$ of verapamil pretreated with quercetin (1 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg) was significantly (p < 0.05) reduced compared with control. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) and the peak concentration $(C_{max})$ of verapamil pretreated with quercetin (2.0 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg) were increased significantly (p < 0.01, p < 0.05) compared with control. Pretreatment with quercetin (2.0 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.01, p < 0.05) increased the relative bioavailability of verapamil to 159 - 219%. These results suggest that quercetin alters disposition of verapamil by inhibition of P-glycoprotein efflux pump and its first-pass metabolism. The dosage of verapamil should be adjusted when it is administered chronically with quercetin in a clinical situation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.130-138
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• 1998

In this study, the effect of verapamil (VER) on cyclosporin A (CsA)-induced nephrotoxicity was investigated in uninephrectomized rats. Male Wistar rats were administered CsA (50 mg/kg/day, p.o.) or VER (0.5 mg/kg/day, i.p.) with CsA (50 mg/kg/day, p.o.) for 20 days. The urinary N-acetyl-$\beta$-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) activity along with BUN, serum creatinine, creatinine clearance (CLcr), body weight, and 24 hr-urine output were measured and histopathologic changes of kidney were evaluated by light and electron microscopy. The results obtained from this study can be summarized as follows: While NAG activity, BUN and serum creatinine was progressively increased and CLcr significantly decreased in CsA group, VER almost signifi-cantly (p<0.05) suppressed and normalized CsA-induced changes in VER+CSA group. While urine output increased until 12th days and thereafter progressively decreased in CsA group, it gradually increased in control and VER+CSA group. While body weight progressively made a gain in control and VER+CSA groups, it significantly (p<0.05) lost in CsA group. On light microscopy, the glomerular hyperemia and proximal convoluted tubular (PCT) dilatation, focal tubular cell vacuolation and necrosis were clearly evident in CsA group, but, were not seen in other groups. Ultrastructural studies revealed thickened glomerular endothelium and basal lamina of capillary, irregular shaped pedicels of podocytes, indistinct slit pores and narrowed bowman's space. The large oval vacuoles with dense debris and phagosome were distributed in apical zone and deformed microvilli and mitochondria were seen in the PCT cell of CsA group. But, glomeruli and PCT cell were relatively preserved in normal apperance in other groups. In conclusion, it is suggested that verapamil has a protective effect on cyclosporine-induced nephrotoxicity in uninephrectomized rats.