Life-Threatening Interactions Between HIV-1 Protease Inhibitors and the Illicit Drugs MDMA and Gamma- Hydroxybutyrate

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1999. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Life-Threatening Interactions Between HIV-1 Protease Inhibitors and the Illicit Drugs MDMA and Gamma- Hydroxybutyrate

Archives of Internal Medicine Online (10/11/99) Vol. 159, No. 18, P. 2221
Harrington, Robert D.; Woodward, Jane A.; Hooton, Thomas M.; et al.

Protease inhibitors used to treat HIV-1 infection have been helpful in lowering morbidity and mortality associated with the infection. Many of these drugs, however, inhibit or induce the hepatic and intestinal cytochrome P450 systems. As a result of that association, the protease inhibitors could impact the removal of substances that depend on these metabolic pathways. In one case, a patient taking ritonavir and saquinavir took a small dose of ecstasy, and the effect of the illicit drug lasted for an extended period of time. In addition, the patient experienced a near fatal reaction to small amounts of GHB. According to the researchers, there is a possibility that the antiretroviral drugs could affect the metabolism of prescribed but abusable compounds as well as illicit compounds.

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