Effect of clarithromycin on the enantioselective disposition of lansoprazole in relation to CYP2C19 genotypes

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of clarithromycin, a CYP3A4 inhibitor, on the enantioselective disposition of lansoprazole among three different CYP2C19 genotype groups in healthy Japanese subjects. These subjects included 6 each of homozygous extensive metabolizers (homEMs), heterozygous extensive metabolizers (hetEMs), and poor metabolizers (PMs). In the EMs of CYP2C19, clarithromycin markedly increased Cmax and the AUC0-infinity of (S)-lansoprazole and (S)-hydroxylansoprazole compared with those of the corresponding (R)-enantiomers. Clarithromycin significantly increased Cmax and the AUC0-infinity of (S)-lansoprazole in the homEMs by 110% and 115%, respectively, and in the hetEMs by 105% and 103%, respectively, compared with placebo. Furthermore, clarithromycin slightly prolonged the elimination half-life of (R)-lansoprazole in the homEMs and hetEMs but did not alter that of (S)-lansoprazole. In the of PMs CYP2C19, clarithromycin significantly increased Cmax and the AUC0-infinity and significantly prolonged the elimination half-lives of (R)- and (S)-lansoprazole by 51% and 49%, respectively. The present study suggests that there are significant drug interactions between (R)- or (S)-lansoprazole and clarithromycin in EMs by inhibiting the CYP3A4-catalyzed sulfoxidation primarily during the first pass, whereas in PMs, the overall metabolism of lansoprazole is inhibited.